Scottish Government procedure of recording financial interests of National Clinical Directors: FOI release

Information requested

What is the minimal financial value (in pounds Sterling) that requires a National Clinical Director in Scotland to register a personal financial interest with the Scottish Government, such that this financial interest is recorded on Scottish Government systems. You said that this FIOSA 2002
request pre-supposes that the Scottish Government records the financial interests of National Clinical Directors.

In your subsequent request you wrote “a timeline on detailing whether the "FACTS advocate" Prof Jason Leitch is covered by the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 will be appreciated”.

Response

Further to a previous Freedom of Information request you made, I wrote to you on 13 October 2020, reference 202000090169, setting out the robust procedures used by the Scottish Government so that employees and secondees register personal financial interests. I also explained that within the Health and Social Care Directorates (HSCD), a Service Level Agreement (SLA) may be used to procure services from NHS Scotland, in the form of mainly health-related expertise and skills not readily available in the Scottish Government.

Jason Leitch provides the services of a National Clinical Director under such a Service Level Agreement. Professor Leitch is not a Scottish Government employee and not required to register his personal financial interests with the Scottish Government, although may choose to do so. Any register of interests is a matter for the NHS as his employer and as the provider of the service under the terms of the SLA. Where issues do arise, these will be discussed between the Scottish Government and the employer.

With regards your request for “a timeline on detailing whether the "FACTS advocate" Prof Jason Leitch is covered by the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 will be appreciated”. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 covers Scottish Ministers, special advisers and the Permanent Secretary. 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.