First Minister's visit to Auschwitz in October 2018: FOI release

Information requested

 

You asked for information in relation to the First Minister's visit to Auschwitz in October 2018.

 

Response

 

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold some of the information you have requested. The reasons why we do not have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter.

The First Minister participated in a one day visit to Auschwitz at the invitation of the Holocaust Educational Trust which organised the visit as part of its Lessons from Auschwitz project. She was accompanied by four people (her Private Secretary and three other officials from Visits and Events, Communications, and Policy teams).

The Holocaust Educational Trust charter flights specifically for visits to Auschwitz connected with the Lessons from Auschwitz project. The First Minister travelled with students and teachers who participated in one of these visits and all participants travel in standard class. No direct costs or expenses were incurred by Scottish Government.

The Holocaust Educational Trust were responsible for organising the flights, buses and official photographers for the visit to Auschwitz in October 2018. Photographs taken by the Scottish Government are at the following link –
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scottishgovernment/

As has been recognised by Scottish Information Commissioner, Special Advisers, who are civil servants, have a legitimate role to play in considering some FOI requests.

 

REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION
The Scottish Government does not have the information

The Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have asked for because the Holocaust Educational Trust were responsible for organising the flights, buses and official photographers for the visit to Auschwitz in October 2018
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

 

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.