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Publication - FOI/EIR release

Details of contact/meetings between the former First Minister and the current First Minister/Permanant Secretary: FOI Release

Published
20 September 2018
Topic
Public sector

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

FOI reference: FOI/18/02292 
Date received: 27 August 2018
Date responded: 20 September 2018
 
Information requested
 
Please disclose, in full:
  1. the dates and times and location of any meetings between the current first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and the former first minister, Alex Salmond, from 1 January 2018 to date, and the names of all those present at those meetings
  2. the dates and times and location of any phone calls between the current first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and the former first minister, Alex Salmond, from 1 January 2018 to date, and the names of all those involved in the calls
  3. the transcripts and/or summary notes and/or memos written in connection with and following those meetings and calls, as well as any briefing notes or policy memos written for the first minister prior to those meetings or calls
  4. the dates and times of any meetings between the former first minister, Alex Salmond, and the permanent secretary of the Scottish government, Leslie Evans, from 1 January 2018 to date, and the names of all those present at those meetings
  5. the dates and times and location of any phone calls between the former first minister, Alex Salmond and the permanent secretary of the Scottish government, Leslie Evans, from 1 January 2018 to date, and the names of all those involved in the calls
  6. the transcripts and/or summary notes and/or memos written in connection with and following those meetings and calls, as well as any briefing notes or policy memos written for the first minister prior to those meetings or calls

Response

By reference to section 18(1) of FOISA we cannot confirm or deny whether any information is held. We are applying section 18(1) in conjunction with section 35(1)(c) (information exempt if disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice substantially the administration of justice) and section 38(1)(b) (personal data).
 
The exemption in section 35(1)(c) is subject to the public interest test. We have viewed the public interest test to be the balance between the need to be open and transparent in our decision making and ensuring that we do not prejudice substantially the administration of justice. In that regard we cannot confirm or deny if any such information exists and we have concluded that the balance favours adopting that approach.
 
That exemption in section 38(1)(b) is not subject to the public interest test but we have applied the public interest as required by section 18 and have concluded that to reveal whether the information exists or not would be contrary to the public interest.
 
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses

Contact

Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit 
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000 
The Scottish Government 
St Andrew's House 
Regent Road 
Edinburgh 
EH1 3DG

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