Former First Minister's meetings and the Fan Bank program: FOI release

Information requested

1. Full minutes, notes and briefings for ministers from Humza Yousaf's Clyde Mission meeting on August 28.

2. What is the current progress with the Fan Bank, how many loans have been applied for and how many have been accepted? How much money has been earmarked for this program?

3. A full list of where Humza Yousaf has visited on official government business since becoming First Minister, up to the date of this FOI.

4. How much money was spent on Humza Yousaf's trip to New York for Climate Week? Full breakdown of costs.

5.All correspondence, including internal correspondence, regarding Humza Yousaf's appearance on the Time Magazine front page, between May 2023 and the date of this FOI.

6. All correspondence, briefing notes and minutes, including internal correspondence, regarding Humza Yousaf's meetings with the Icelandic Prime Minister during New York climate week.

7. All minutes, notes and briefing notes taken during Humza Yousaf's meeting with new Police Scotland chief Jo Farrell from their meeting on October 19.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

In terms of question 1, a note of the Clyde Mission meeting and the briefing for that meeting are attached. An exemption under section S.38(1)(b) Personal Information of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested in this question. This exemption prevents us releasing the personal information of officials who are below the rank of Senior Civil Servant.

The answer to question 2 is:

• The Fan Bank was launched on 31 May 2023.
• There has been one successful application by the Falkirk FC Supporters Society. A loan of £350k was made.
• We have received a second application for funding from the Fan Bank but the business case has yet to be assessed.
• We have engaged in preliminary conversations with a small number of other clubs and supporters groups who have expressed an interest in the scheme but no further applications had been made at the date of your request.
• We have earmarked £500k per annum to support the Fan Bank but there is potential to flex this based on demand and wider use of the Scottish Government Financial Transactions budget.

In terms of both question 3 and question 4, an exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to the information you have requested. Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts received are proactively published in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code. The information you have requested will be available at: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (https://www.gov.scot/)

Therefore I am advising you that under Section 27(1) of FOISA applies to the information you have requested in questions 3 and 4. This exemption allows public authorities to refuse to disclose information if they already plan to publish it within the next 12 weeks. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

In terms of question 5, the relevant documents are attached. An exemption under section S.38(1)(b) Personal Information of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested in this question. This exemption prevents us releasing the personal information of officials who are below the rank of Senior Civil Servant.

In terms of question 6, an exemption under section 32(1)(a) of FOISA – International Relations exemption - applies to the minutes of the meeting that the First Minister had with the Icelandic Prime Minister in New York. The briefing for the meeting with the Icelandic Prime Minister is attached. An exemption under section 32(1)(a) of FOISA – International Relations exemption - applies to Annex D of this briefing.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption in both of the above documents. The Scottish Government finds it of utmost importance to be able to conduct meetings of this nature in confidentiality and the disclosure of such minutes would adversely impact the content of discussions at future meetings between the Scottish Government and foreign representatives.

An exemption under section S.38(1)(b) Personal Information of FOISA also applies to some of the information you have requested in this question. This exemption prevents us releasing the personal information of officials who are below the rank of Senior Civil Servant.

In terms of question 7, a note of the meeting is attached. An exemption under section S.38(1)(b) Personal Information of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested in this question. This exemption prevents us releasing the personal information of officials who are below the rank of Senior Civil Servant.

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.

FOI 202300381798 - Information released - Annex

File type

48 page PDF

File size

1.9 MB