Issues with Horizon IT system experienced by Post Offices in Scotland: FOI release

Information requested

From the First Minister (if applicable), Deputy First Minister (if applicable), Justice Secretary (if applicable), Wellbeing Economy Secretary (if applicable) and Business Minister (if applicable and under whatever name it was referred to at the time), since January 1, 2003 until December 31, 2023:

• Written correspondence in the form of letters, emails, memos, text messages, whatsapp messages or Tweets sent by and received by the above mentioned Scottish Government cabinet members relating to issues experienced by sub-postmasters with the Horizon IT system in use by Post Offices in Scotland, paying heed to public interest test, privacy and confidentiality
• Diary entries for any meetings the above mentioned Scottish Government cabinet members attended regarding issues with experienced by sub-postmasters the Horizon IT system in use by Post Offices in Scotland
• Meeting minutes from any of the above meetings attended by cabinet members mentioned above regarding issues experienced by sub-postmasters with the Horizon IT system in use by Post offices in Scotland.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. Please find attached correspondence between Keith Brown MSP, then Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans, and Paul Scully MP, then Minister for Small Business, Consumers & Labour Markets.

The Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have asked for because we do not hold any information to indicate that the listed Ministers attended any meetings regarding issues experienced by sub-postmasters the Horizon IT system in use by Post Offices in Scotland during the time period referred to in your request.

Management of the Post Office is a reserved matter for the UK Government, and the Scottish Government has no role in the investigation of miscarriages of justice, which is a matter for the independent Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

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 an exemption under section 30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice) of FOISA applies to that information.

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. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because of the ongoing high profile of the problems with the Horizon IT system and the related miscarriages of justice. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in not substantially inhibiting the free and frank provision of advice by officials to Ministers.

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 202400393241 - Information released - Attachments 1 - 4

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