Publication - FOI/EIR release

Information relating to Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland: FOI release

Published: 16 February 2021
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Programme for Government, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/202000097624
Date received: 12 October 2020
Date responded: 9 November 2020

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

Information requested

1. For the costs paid to date by the Scottish Government to set up and run the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland to date.

2. For the number of civil servants working or seconded to work on the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland.

3. For correspondence between Scottish Government ministers and the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland.

4. For correspondence between the private offices of Scottish Government ministers and the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland.

Response

1. The Scottish Government records costs to date of the Citizens’ Assembly at the end of every month. At the time your request was received, the costs of setting up and running the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland were recorded at £764,191. This covers the financial years 2019 - 2020 and 2020 – present. You will want to note that while the work of the Citizens’ Assembly is ongoing, the monthly figure is subject to confirmation and later reconciliation, so that cost is provisional and may be revised.

The Scottish Government intends to publish full costs for the Citizens’ Assembly after the work of the Assembly is complete.

2. As at 12 October 2020 there are 8 civil servants (6.8 Full Time Equivalent) working in the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland Secretariat.

3/4. The information you have requested is attached and at Annex A . An exemption under 38(1)(b) (Personal Information) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested. The reasons why this exemption applies is explained at Annex B.

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.