First Minister's hotel expenses for foreign travel: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/00083
Date received: 14 December 2017
Date responded: 5 February 2018

Information requested

1. What was the First Minister's expense for foreign travel from December 1st 2016 to December 1st 2017?
2. What were the First Minister's hotel expenses for the same period?
3. How many official government trips did the First Minister make during the same period?
4. How many unofficial trips did the First Minister make during the same period?
5. How much were the total expenses for this trip?
6. What were the First Minister's total expenses for her trip to Catalonia to campaign for Catalan independence.

Response

I enclose copies of the Scottish Government's proactive release of the First Minister's travel costs.

Hotel costs for the period were: First Minister - £2,915.66 Staff - £5,935.37

In relation to questions 4,5 & 6, the First Minster did not undertake any unofficial trips nor did she travel to Catalonia.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested relating to flight costs for September to December 2017 because an exemption under section 27(1) (information intended for future publication) of FOISA applies to that information.

This exemption can be applied when it is the intention of the relevant Scottish public authority to publish the information no later than 12 weeks after the date on which the request was made.

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