Former Deputy First Minister's 2017 trip to India: FOI release

Information requested

1. All meetings John Swinney had during his December 2017 trip to India, the attendees of those meetings, the minutes of those meetings and any actions taken by the Scottish Government as a result of those meetings.

2. Any messages, emails or letters sent by John Swinney between 1 and 6 December 2017 (inclusive) that are stored on the Scottish Government's corporate record from these dates.

3. The total cost associated with this trip from other Scottish Government officials and special advisers who also accompanied Mr Swinney on this trip.

4. Whether any Scottish Government minister officials, including ministers or special advisers, met with Sanjeev Gupta or any member of the Gupta Family Group Alliance whilst on this trip.

Response

First Request

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the PDF attached.

Some of the information you have requested is available from the Scottish Government website.

All meetings Mr Swinney had on this visit were published on the Scottish Government website. Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts: December 2017 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

For clarity I have included an extract of this information in the pdf. Following this extract, each meeting is listed with the attendees.

The information you have requested for one meeting is available on the Scottish Government website. Official meeting with Deputy First Minister and Ravi Trehan: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

With regard to the minutes of the meetings and actions taken by the Scottish Government following these meetings you requested - while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. This is because the meetings were supported by Scottish Development International.

However, you may wish to contact Scottish Enterprise at FOI@scotent.co.uk who may be able to help you. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government doesn't hold the information you have requested.

The Scottish Government supported the meeting on this visit with the Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu. An exemption under section 32(1)(a) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested regarding this meeting. This is because providing the minute of this meeting could cause substantive prejudice to international relations.

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 public interest in open and transparent government. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in maintaining a good relationship between the UK and India.

Second Request

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have any of the information you have requested. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government doesn't hold the information you have requested.

Third Request

The information you have requested is already available from the Scottish Government website: Deputy First Minister visit to India 2017: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Fourth Request

No member of the Scottish Government did not meet with Sanjeev Gupta on this visit. Members of the travelling party did meet with members of Liberty Group, which is part of the Gupta Family Group Alliance. This information is available from the Scottish Government website at: Official meeting with Deputy First Minister and Ravi Trehan: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

About FOI

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FOI 202400412239 - Information released - Attachment

File type

4 page PDF

File size

105.7 kB