Positive and negative impact of international relations with a feminist lens: FOI release

Information requested

Could you supply all correspondence sent and received by the Scottish Government, excluding internal, all analysis and briefing notes, and minutes from meetings, about international relations with a feminist lens, specifically about the positive impact of this policy and the negative impact of it, and how it would be implemented between September 1 2023 and November 1 2023?

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under FOISA legislation apply. The information you requested, subject to these exemptions, has been set out in the Annex to this letter. The exemptions applied are:

• s.29(1)(a): Formulation or development of government policy
• s.30(b)(ii): Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs
• s.38(1)(b): Personal Information

An exemption under section 29(1)(a) of FOISA (formulation or development of government policy) applies to some of the information requested because it relates to the formulation of the Scottish Government’s policy on the Feminist Approach to International Relations (ie, “international relations with a feminist lens” per your request).

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 high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and decisions. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to debate those rigorously, to fully understand their possible implications. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether the discussions on the Feminist Approach to International Relations will be disclosed in the near future, when it may undermine or constrain the Government’s view on that policy while it is still under discussion and development.

An exemption under section 30(b)(ii) of FOISA (Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs - free and frank exchange of views) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers and officials to have a private space within which to discuss and explore options before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view. Disclosing the content of free and frank discussions on the Feminist Approach to International Relations will substantially inhibit such discussions in the future, particularly because it would inhibit officials being able to provide advice to senior officials and obstruct our meetings with officials from other governments.

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 allowing Ministers and officials a private space within which to explore and refine the Government’s policy position on the Feminist Approach to International Relations. This private thinking space is essential to enable 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 officials from different governments, which in turn will undermine the quality of the policy making process, which would not be in the public interest.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) also applies to a some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, ie the names and/or contact details of individuals, 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.

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 202400426808 - Information released - Annex

File type

20 page PDF

File size

445.5 kB