Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care meetings November 2023: FOI release

Information requested

1. A list of meetings attended by / or scheduled to be attended by Michael Matheson between 8 November 2023 and 20 November 2023, including who was attending, subject of meeting etc.
2. Did Michael Matheson or his office have to reschedule, cancel or fail to turn up to any of the above meetings?

Response

Question 1:

I have included some of the information you have requested below:

Date	Meeting Title
14/11/2023	Cabinet Meeting
14/11/2023	Decision Time
15/11/2023	Decision Time
16/11/2023	FMQs
16/11/2023	Parliamentary Statement

Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts received are routinely and proactively published in line with the Ministerial Code.

Therefore, this is a formal notice that Section 27(1) (information intended for future publication) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. 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 addition, this is a formal notice that Section 29(1)(a) (formulation or development of government policy) applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption applies to the release of internal meetings with officials.

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 upholding the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing the information as part of an open, transparent and accountable government. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space for ministers and officials to discuss any given policy with the understand that these conversations will be held in confidence.

Finally, this is a formal notice that Section 29(1)(b) (Ministerial communications) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption applies to the release of internal meetings between ministers.

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 upholding the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing the information as part of an open, transparent and accountable government. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing ministers the ability to discuss their portfolios in confidence.

Question 2:

This is formal notice that Section 29(1)(d) (Ministerial Private Office) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption applies to meeting that had been cancelled and/or rescheduled.

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 upholding the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing the information as part of an open, transparent and accountable government. However, there is a greater public interest in preserving the efficient and effective operation of a Ministerial private office within which meeting can be rescheduled due to other government or parliamentary business.

About FOI

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