Nuclear Weapons and the Scottish Security and Intelligence Agency: FOI release

Information requested

1. Could you supply all briefings, analysis and correspondence, including internal, held by the Scottish Government regarding nuclear power, from 2024?

2. In the Building a New Scotland paper about defence, it is claimed "This Scottish Government would seek NATO membership for an independent Scotland via NATO 's 'open door' policy and would: commit to defence spending of 2% of Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ), recognising NATO 's enduring commitment to invest in defence capabilities.
-Could you supply all analysis undertaken by the government on how much this 2% would be?

3. Could you supply all briefings, analysis and correspondence, including internal, held mentioning the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, from this year?

4. Angus Robertson said in media interviews on March 4 there were “real threats” in seas around Scotland and “that is why you’re required to have the capacity to deal with them. The UK does not, we will" could you provide the evidence for this?

5. Could you supply all briefings, analysis and correspondence, including internal, around the Scottish Government signing an international treaty banning nuclear weapons post independence, from this year?

6. What is a spy operating ‘in line with Scotland’s values?’ From the Building a New Scotland papers, could you define this?

Response

Part 1:

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. The reason for this is that to locate and retrieve that information we would need to conduct a search of all of the records of the Scottish Government.

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. You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. For example, you could shorten the specified time period you are interested in or restrict your request to a specific business area of the Scottish Government, as this would allow us to limit the searches that would require to be conducted. 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.

Part 2:

The Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested because it is not possible to know what a future GDP figure may be in an independent Scotland, therefore no analysis exists on how much this 2% figure would equate to. The Building a New Scotland paper “A stronger economy with independence” explains that given the uncertainty over the outlook for the global, UK, and Scottish economies, and future fiscal and economic policy decisions by the UK and Scottish governments prior to independence, an estimate of the starting fiscal position of an independent Scotland is not presented.

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

Part 3 and Part 5

Some of the information you have requested is enclosed in Annex A of this letter. Exemptions under Sections 29(1)(a), 30(b)(ii), 30(c) and 38(1)(b) of FOISA apply to some of the information requested. The reasons why these exemptions apply are explained in Annex B.

Part 4

The Building a New Scotland paper, “An independent Scotland’s place in the world”, provides relevant evidence about Scotland’s position in relation to security and defence. Additionally, the following research article was held, which elaborates on the potential threats present in seas around Scotland: Full article: Scotland: A Touchstone for Security in the High North? (tandfonline.com)

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.

Part 6

As set out in the paper “An independent Scotland’s place in the world”, the safety and prosperity of an independent Scotland would be assured not only by its military capability and alliances but also by the establishment of a robust but proportionate security and intelligence apparatus.

Scotland’s needs in this area would be met by the establishment of a single Scottish Security and Intelligence Agency. This new body would support Scotland’s role as a good global citizen, contributing to national security whilst promoting and protecting human rights, the rule of law and democratic values. As in all other aspects of an independent Scotland, national security would be delivered in line with Scotland’s values, with institutions that would be accountable to Ministers, and subject to scrutiny by Parliament, with an independent oversight mechanism to ensure transparent examination of the most delicate matters whilst respecting the need to protect sensitive information.

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 202400413946 - Information released - Annex A & B

File type

6 page PDF

File size

230.6 kB