Communications regarding First Minister and News XChange conference: FOI release

Correspondence from and to the First Minister and / or her office and the BBC (any and all contacts) relating to the News XChange conference due to take place in Edinburgh on November 14 & 15 2018. 

- Correspondence from and to any Special Advisers and the BBC (any and all contacts)  relating to the News XChange conference due to take place in Edinburgh on November 14 & 15 2018.

-   Correspondence from and to the First Minister and / or her office and the European Broadcasting Union (any and all contacts) relating to the News XChange conference due to take place in Edinburgh on November 14 & 15 2018. 

- Correspondence from and to Special Advisers and the European Broadcasting Union (any and all contacts) relating to the News XChange conference due to take place in Edinburgh on November 14 & 15 2018.

- Any other relevant papers, notes, records or other information relating to the decision of the First Minister to take up an invitation to take part in this event, and subsequently withdraw. 

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information.  The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained below.

An exemption applies

An exemption(s) under section(s) section 38(1)(b) (personal data relating to third party) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested.  We have not provided names of individuals below rank of Senior Civil Service in the Scottish Government, nor of individuals in the BBC whom were in contact, or whom were referred to in email exchanges, with the Scottish Government.

This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.