Transcripts of the press events for the Building a New Scotland series of independence papers: FOI release

Information requested

For each of the 13 Building a New Scotland series of independence papers, please provide all Scottish Government transcripts (or other notes) of the press events on the day of their publication.

Response

The publication of the first four papers in the Building a New Scotland (BANS) series were accompanied by First Minister-led press conferences, attended by broadcast, print and online media and live-streamed on social media – the first three at Bute House, Edinburgh and the fourth at Atlantic Quay, Glasgow.

Media arrangements for the publication of subsequent papers varied and included off-camera briefings with relevant ministers, broadcast one-to-one interviews and photo-opportunities.

Transcripts of both the opening remarks and the media Q&A from the three press conferences at Bute House are attached at Annex A.

While we do not hold transcripts for the fourth press conference, Annex A includes an emailed note summarising the media questions and the then First Minister Humza Yousaf’s responses. Further, his published opening remarks at the event can be read at this link: Building a New Scotland – The Constitution Paper: First Minister's speech – 19 June 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Annex A also includes a number of other documents we hold, interview/Q&A transcriptions from or notes of press events arranged for subsequent BANS paper publications.

An exemption under s.38(1) of FOISA applies to a small amount of the information held within scope of your request – as indicated by redaction brackets in Annex A – since it relates to the personal information of a third party. 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.

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 202400426552 - Information released - Annex A

File type

96 page PDF

File size

1.0 MB