Tartan Week/Scotland Week celebrations in the USA: FOI release

Information requested

(1) Can you share any briefings prepared for Angus Robertson and Scottish Government officials?

(2) Can you release the names and job titles of all ministers, civil servants, special advisers and others who attended events?

(3) Can you detail the cost of the travel and accommodation for each individual?

(4) Can you release their itineraries?

(5) Can you release any evaluation of Scotland Week events?

(6) Can you release any correspondence between the Scottish Government and the UK Government on Tartan Week events?

(7) Can you release all correspondence, including any whatsapps and emails between SG staff during Tartan Week events?

Response

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

In response to question 1: please see attached Annex A, which includes Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson’s briefing pack for Tartan Week 2024. 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 exemptions under s.32 (international relations), s.28 (Relations within the UK), s.38(1)(b) (personal information), s.30 (Free and Frank provision of advice or exchange of views) and s.33(1)(b) (commercial interests and the economy) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why those exemptions have been applied are explained in Annex C attached to this letter.

In response to question 2: the following Ministers and civil servants attended Tartan Week events. Please note that the civil servants in attendance were below Senior Civil Service and so their names will not be released.

Title	Name
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Angus Robertson
Private Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Redacted
Head of Scottish Government Office USA	Redacted
Deputy Head of Scottish Government Office USA	Redacted
Communications & Administration Officer	Redacted
Projects & Events Manager	Redacted

In response to question 3: Please note that the travel costs include cars booked in the US to support delivery of the Ministerial programme and wider Scottish Government involvement in Tartan Week.

Individual	Travel	Accommodation
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Return flights - £1697.91 Internal trains - £45.75 Airport taxi - £109.94	£1262.51
Private Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture	Return flights - £1697.91 Internal trains - £45.75	£1262.51
Head of Scottish Government Office USA	£644.53	£1017.6
Deputy Head of Scottish Government Office USA	£433.23	£1017.6
Communications & Administration Officer	£148.04	£508.8
Projects & Events Manager	£334.07	£508.8

In response to question 4: the engagements undertaken by Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson, including dates, times and locations, and the job titles of officials supporting him, are available in the briefing pack attached at Annex A. The itineraries for Scottish Government officials involved in Tartan Week are attached at Annex B.

In response to question 5: while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. Findings from joint Scottish Government and Scottish Development International (SDI) evaluation of Tartan Week activity will be reported as part of the Scottish Government’s annual report on its International Network.

Responding to questions 6 and 7 separately, would exceed the upper cost limit for responding to Freedom of Information requests. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12. This is because the volume of correspondence held is too large. You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. This might best be done by specifying the subjects in which you are interested, or narrowing the timeframe. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.

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 202400409106 - Information released - Annex A - C

File type

116 page PDF

File size

1.2 MB