Details of Scottish Government official presence at the COP26 conference: FOI release

Information requested

1. What are the plans for the Scottish Government's official presence at the COP26? By this I mean the location, duration, and physical staff presence?

2. Please provide the overall financial cost of the Scottish Government's official presence at COP26.

2a. This should include the cost of hiring any venue as part of the official presence as the Scottish Government initially did with the Glasgow Science Centre.

2b. Please break this down by expense type, this should include but not be limited to accommodation costs, venue hire, food and drink provision, AV provision, or any other expense linked to the Scottish Government's official presence at COP26.

3. Can you confirm whether this cost will be covered by the UK Government's Cabinet Office as per the terms of the memorandum of understanding between the Scottish Government and the Cabinet Office, or whether this will come from the Scottish Government's budget and not be reimbursed?

Response

1 and 2. Plans are in progress to deliver the Scottish Government’s programme of events, including procuring and contracting services, at a principal Scotland Stakeholder Hub venue, complemented by spaces and venues both in and outside of the Blue Zone. Details of these venues and spaces are not currently in the public domain but we intend to proactively release information on these venues at the appropriate time before the event. The overall financial cost will be finalised and proactively released after the event.

2a. Plans are in progress to deliver the Scottish Government’s programme of events, including procuring and contracting services, at a principal Scotland Stakeholder Hub venue, complemented by spaces and venues both in and outside of the Blue Zone.

As formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA, this information is not currently held at this stage as the overall costs will not be known until after the event itself.

Details of the overall financial cost of the Scottish Government's official presence at COP26 are not yet fully known as above and therefore also not currently in the public domain but we intend to proactively release information on the overall cost after the event.

2b. Plans are in progress to deliver the Scottish Government’s programme of events, including procuring and contracting services, at a principal Scotland Stakeholder Hub venue, complemented by spaces and venues both in and outside of the Blue Zone. Venue spaces have been assessed to ensure costs are proportionate and best value for money is being achieved.

As formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA, this information is not currently held at this stage as the overall costs will not be known until after the event itself. You may wish to make another request for this information after the event has concluded when we are in a position to provide detail. We intend to proactively release the information on costs after the event.

3. Scottish Government programme of events at COP26 will be covered by the Scottish Government’s budget and will not be reimbursed by the UK Government’s Cabinet Office.

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