Correspondence regarding the closure of Glasgow Caledonian University Advanced Higher Hub: FOI release

Information requested

Any communications held by the government regarding the closure of the Advanced Higher Hub. Such communications may include - but are not limited to - proposals for the closure, discussions about the closure, agreement on/authorisation of the closure, confirmation of the closure, opinions on the closure etc

• This request applies to departments involved in education services, finance (as this has been a budget decision that has impacted on education), Special Advisers, Scottish Ministers, and the communication teams
• The time frame for this request is 1 Aug 2021 - present

Response

I enclose a copy of the information you 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 sections 30(b)(ii) (free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation), 30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice or 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information.

Exemptions under sections 30(b)(ii) (free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation) and 30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice are 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 exemptions. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemptions.

We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing Ministers and officials a private space within which issues can be explored and refined.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, i.e. names and contact details, 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 202400395570 - Information Released - Index of Enclosures

File type

167 page PDF

File size

1.3 MB