Publication - FOI/EIR release

Information pertaining to the STEP program: FOI release

Published: 16 December 2021
Directorate: Learning Directorate
Topic: Education, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/202100252139
Date received: 1 November 2021
Date responded: 30 December 2021

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

Information requested

Please provide the following information:

a) A summary of dedicated expenditure on (aka, expenditure which was specifically intended or earmarked for) the STEP physical literacy program, marketed by STEP2Progress limited;
b) Minutes of meetings with and records of correspondence with STEP2Progress limited;
c) Studies, or other evaluations of the STEP program (such as emails, memos, or minutes discussing whether the program is effective, even in passing); and
d) Any other internal documents relating to and mentioning the STEP program.

You have requested this information for the period starting from the incorporation of STEP2Progress in 2014 through until its dissolution on 22 May 2021.

Response

I attach a copy of most of the information you requested.

The responses to your request are as follows:

a) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

The reasons why we don’t have the information are explained in the Annex.

b) and d) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemption(s) under sections s.30(b)(i) (the free and frank provision of advice) and s.30(b)(ii) (the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation), and section s.38(1)(b) (personal information), of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained in the Annex A .

A list of documents which accompany this reply has been listed in Annex B.

c) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained in the Annex.

ANNEX A
REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION

a) The Scottish Government does not have the information. No Scottish Government expenditure was earmarked for the STEP physical literacy programme.

b) and d) Exemptions under sections s.30(b)(i) and s.30(b)(ii) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption relates to the free and frank provision of advice and the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation. This exemption is not subject to
the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

An exemption under section s.38(1) (b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption relates to the personal information of 3rd parties. This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing
the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

c) An exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1) (b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption relates to the personal information of 3rd parties. This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

ANNEX B
Documents attached within the information released.
The following documents have been released in response to section (b) of your request: Documents 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24.
The following documents have been released in response to section (d) of your request: Documents 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 25(a), 25(b) and 26.
The following documents have been released in response to sections (c) and (d) of your request: Document 10.

List of Documents attached
Document 1: Advice to Deputy First Minister (DFM) for response to on STEP (relates to the letter provided at document 3).
Document 2: Letter to DFM about STEP programme on 26 October 2017.
Document 3: DFM ministerial reply on STEP programme on 13 December 2017.
Document 4: STEP letter to DFM on 23 November 2017.
Document 5: DFM reply to STEP in December 2017.
Document 6: STEP letter to DFM on 26 November 2017.
Document 7: DFM reply to STEP in December 2017.
Document 8: Draft letter to Directors of Education about STEP programme.
Document 9: Briefing for DFM meeting to discuss the STEP programme on 15 March 2017.
Document 10: Briefing for DFM meeting on 30 August 2017.
Document 11: DFM briefing for visit to STEP programme at St. David’s Primary School - 23 November 2017.
Document 12: Advice on STEP programme to DFM - December 2017.
Document 13: Briefing on the STEP programme and Scottish Attainment Challenge.
Document 14: STEP letter to DFM - 13 March 2018.
Document 15: DFM Reply to STEP - 17 April 2018.
Document 16: PS Minute providing advice on response to STEP letter of 13 March 2018.
Document 17: STEP letter to DFM requesting meeting from 9 November 2016.
Document 18: DFM response to STEP meeting request from 29 November 2016.
Document 19: STEP letter to Scottish Government in February 2017.
Document 20: Scottish Government official response to STEP in March 2017.
Document 21: STEP letter to DFM following meeting on 15 March 2017.
Document 22: DFM reply to STEP regarding meeting on 15 March 2017 from 11 April 2017.
Document 23: Education Scotland meeting with STEP in July 2017.
Document 24: Readout from meeting with STEP on 30 August 2017.
Document 25 (a): Update for STEP meeting with DFM on 15 March 2017.
Document 25 (b): Positioning STEP in Scotland.
Document 26: PS Minute for case 2016/0038100.

*Please note for publishing purposes the above documents have been merged into three large documents.

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