Funding for Men’s Shed organisations: FOI release

Information requested

Internal Scottish Government communications on the subject of funding for Men’s Shed organisations (including any emails or internal briefings produced on this subject). The date range for this request is 11 March 2024 to 17 May 2024. If this date range places the cost of this request over £600 then please bring forward the earlier of these two dates until the cost of the request is below £600.

Response

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

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. As mentioned in your original request, in order to meet the upper cost limits of this request, information between 17 April and 17 May has been included in the attached document release. 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.

Also in this instance, we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption(s) under section(s) s.30(b)(i) [free and frank exchange of advice], s.30(b)(ii) [free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation] and s.30(c) [effective conduct of public affairs] of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. For s.30(b)(i) [free and frank exchange of advice] and s.30(b)(ii) [free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation], these exemptions applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank exchange of views. This exemption recognises the need for officials to have a private space within which to provide free and frank advice to Ministers before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view. For S.30(c) [effective conduct of public affairs], this exemption applies due to the inclusion of potential future financing that is not confirmed nor in the public domain that was within the remit of the original request. Therefore, disclosing this information may have adverse effects Scottish Men's Sheds Association's (SMSA) disclosed funding as well as potential future disclosure of information to government.

Exemption(s) s.30(b)(i) [free and frank exchange of advice], s.30(b)(ii) [free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation] and s.30(c) [effective conduct of public affairs] 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 these exemptions. For exemption s.30(b)(i) [free and frank exchange of advice], there is a greater public interest in maintaining the process of allowing officials to provide as detailed a position when providing advice effectively. Officials will conclude that other internal communications will probably have to be disclosed, thereby inhibiting the way in which advice or views are given in the future.

For exemption s.30(b) (ii) [free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation], there is a greater public interest in maintaining the process of achieving collective responsibility within a private space within which policy positions can be explored and refined by Ministers in order that the Government, as a whole, can reach a final decision. This private thinking space also allows for all options to be properly considered, so that good policy decisions can be taken. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers, which in turn will undermine the quality of the policy/decision-making process.

For exemptions s.30(c) [effective conduct of public affairs], there is a greater public interest in the Scottish Government maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders and delivery partners, any release of this information may result in stakeholders/delivery partners being less likely to share information in the future and therefore impact the delivery of Scottish Government business and conduct of public affairs. Since this information was shared verbally during a meeting with officials, this information is therefore not in the public domain.

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 202400414939 - Information released - Annex

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