Social Security Scotland Freedom of Information (FOI) meeting: FOI release

Information requested

As part of the response to Freedom of Information request 202400392901, a copy of an email sent to James Wallace was released. A portion of that email read: "If it is to be kept in, I will reach back out to Comms for lines. [Redacted] made me aware that this was touched on at Friday’s FOI meeting with yourself & David”.

Based on this text you requested the following information:

Request for information 1: The minutes of the ‘FOI meeting’ that took place on Friday 15th December.

Request for information 2: Confirmation of who was present and attended the meeting on Friday 15th December.

Request for information 3: Confirmation regarding if this is a regular meeting that is had and if so please list everyone who is officially supposed to attend it.

Request for information 4: An explanation about the purpose of the FOI meeting.

Request for information 5: A copy of the first email to be written after (and about/concerning) the FOI meeting on Friday 15th December.

Request for information 6: A copy of the last email sent by Social Security Scotland to Cabinet Secretary Shirley Ann Somerville regarding FOI/FOIs. Please also include the email reply from the Cabinet Secretary.

Response

Request for information 1:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not hold the information you have requested. This is because no minutes are taken of this operational meeting.

Request for information 2, 3 and 4:

The “FOI meeting” is an operational, weekly meeting between members of the Freedom of Information Team and some members of the Executive Team, with the purpose of ensuring oversight, adherence to best practice advice and compliance with the handling of Freedom of Information requests under FOI law. This is in line with the Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance that the handling of Freedom of Information requests should receive the necessary levels of support at both strategic and operational levels, and sufficient resources to ensure compliance. An overview of all current information requests is provided, with discussion taking place around status of and the approach taken for each request. Our Right of Access to Information Policy provides further information on the roles and responsibilities within Social Security Scotland, relating to information requests: - Social Security Scotland - Right of Access to Information

The attendees, dependent on availability, are:

• David Wallace – Chief Executive
• Ally McPhail – Deputy Director of Organisational Strategy and Performance
• James Wallace – Deputy Director of Finance and Corporate Services
• Janet Richardson – Deputy Director of Client Services delivery
• one Business Support Manager and the members of the Freedom of Information Team.

All except Janet Richardson were able to attend at the meeting on 15 December 2023.

Request for information 5:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not hold the information you have requested. This is because there was no email written after the FOI meeting on 15 December 2023 which was about or concerned that meeting.

Request for information 6:

Please find the requested information in the attached documents.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to a small amount of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, ie names and contact details of individuals and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. 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.

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 202400395438 - Information released - Documents 1 & 2

File type

4 page PDF

File size

460.6 kB