Carer's allowance supplement, payments into credit union accounts: FOI release

Any ministerial briefing material requested and provided to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People regarding the difficulties Social Security Scotland has had making payments of the carer’s allowance supplement into credit union accounts.

I enclose a copy of the information you requested in Annex A.

Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, we have enclosed a redacted version for your information. The reason for this is that exemptions under sections 30(b)(i) and 30(b)(ii) of FOISA apply; section 38(1)(b) of FOISA also applies. Further explanation why these exemptions apply are contained below.

Exemptions under sections 30(b)(i) and 30(b)(ii) of FOISA (free and frank advice and exchange of views) apply to some of the information requested. These exemptions apply because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice and exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation. The exemptions recognise the need for Ministers to have a private space within which to seek advice and views from officials before reaching the settled public position which will be given in whatever final lines to take are used.

These exemptions are subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemptions. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemptions. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space within which officials can provide free and frank advice and views to Ministers.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, ie names and contact details of individuals and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998. 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.