Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition meeting with Sanjeev Gupta minutes: FOI release

Information requested

Meeting minutes for this: The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition met Sanjeev Gupta on 27 March 2024.

Response

Please find attached the information relevant to this part of your request. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible in this case as exemptions under sections of FOISA apply. The reasons for this are set out in the annex of this letter.

ANNEX

Section 30(c) of FOISA (effective conduct of public affairs)

This exemption applies to some of the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to the effective conduct of public affairs in relation to communications and engagement with external stakeholders.

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 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 maintaining good relations between the Scottish Government and GFG Alliance and in protecting the free exchange of information between both to ensure that we keep each other fully and regularly informed about matters of mutual interest, particularly given the importance of the Lochaber smelter and the Dalzell steelworks to Scotland. There is no public interest in disclosing information when that will damage relationships and disrupt future engagement.

Section 38(1)(b) – Personal data

This exemption 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.

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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 202400420374 - Information released - Attachment

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2 page PDF

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