Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and education directors meeting minutes: FOI release

Information requested

The minutes from the meeting held yesterday (20 August) between the Education Secretary, Jenny Gilruth, education directors and others. I would also like to request any papers or communications – including emails – sent to participants ahead of the meeting, including any communication sent notifying participants the meeting was to be held.

Response

I enclose a copy of the information you requested.

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 an exemption under section 30(c) (effective conduct of public affairs) and 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information.

An exemption under section 30(c) (effective conduct of public affairs) has been applied to some of the information within the document. The redacted information relates to meeting links/access information for the online meeting on 20 August. This information has been redacted to ensure that the meeting environment remains secure.

Exemptions under section 30(c) 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 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 ensuring that Ministers and officials maintain a secure, private space within which issues can be explored and refined.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) 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.

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 202400427742 - Information Released - Annex

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PDF

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1.0 MB