Minutes of meeting between First Minister and Bill Gates 2018: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
The minutes of the meeting between Nicola Sturgeon and Bill Gates in January 2018. I would also like to know how much money Bill Gates, The Bill and Melinda Foundation and ANY of his affiiated companies, charities etc have given the Scottish Government/SNP, and what this money has been used for? I would also like to know how much funding the Scottish Government has had from any companies associated with the production of vaccines and if these companies "lobby" the Scottish Parliament.
Response
I attach a copy of some of the information you requested. I have attached a PDF copy of the minutes of the meeting between the First Minister and Bill Gates in January 2018, which has been redacted to protect the personal information of individuals. The exemption applied is section 38(1) of FOISA which exempts the release of personal data.
Regarding your questions on funding, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because we do not receive funding from vaccine companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, or any affiliated companies or charities. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the internal finances of the SNP. For this information you would need to make contact with the SNP directly.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
Regarding the information you have requested on lobbying, under section 25(1) of FOISA, we are not required to provide information which can be reasonably obtained elsewhere. The information you have requested is available from the Scottish Parliament's Lobbying Register, which can be accessed at: Home - Lobbying Register, where you can search the register of everyone who has engaged in regulated lobbying with MSPs, members of the Scottish Government, Junior Scottish Ministers, the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government and Scottish Government Special Advisers.
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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