First Minister's meeting with Ambassador of China, August 2024: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
All documentation held by the Scottish Government, including email correspondence, (including internal), minutes/notes from meeting, briefings, policy notes, from between June 1 2024 and August 25 2024, about John Swinney's meeting with Zheng Zeguang, China's Ambassador to the UK, on 6 August.
Response
I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested. You can find this attached in Annexes A and B.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested.
An exemption under section 38(1)(b), personal information, of FOISA applies to some of the information you requested because it is personal data of a third party (i.e. names/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.
An exemption under section 29(1)(a), formulation of government policy, of FOISA applies to some of the information that you requested. The reasonsection 29(1)(a) applies to the information requested is because the information relates to the formulation and development of government policy.
An exemption under section 29(1)(d), operation of a Ministerial private office, of FOISA applies to some of the information that you requested. The reason section 29(1)(d) applies to the information requested is because the information relates to the operation of any Ministerial private office.
An exemption under section 30(b)(i), free and frank provision of advice, of FOISA applies to some of the information that you requested. The reason section 30(b) applies to the information requested is because disclosure of information would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice.
An exemption under section 30(b)(ii), free and frank exchange of views, of FOISA applies to some of the information that you requested. The reason section 30(b) applies to the information requested is because disclosure of information would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice.
An exemption under section 32(1)(a), international relations, of FOISA applies to some of the information you requested. Information is exempt from disclosure if disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially relations between the UK and another state.
These exemptions 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.
About FOI
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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