Event notes from football matches attended by the Health Secretary: FOI release

Information requested

In relation to the matches referred to by Mr Gray during his Parliamentary statement, for:
• Any communications (emails, etc.) relating to Civil Service clearance on the use of a ministerial car for these events/meetings.
• The route the vehicles took to these events/meetings.
• What the projected and actual costs of the travel to and from these events/meetings.
• If anyone was with the Cabinet Secretary in his travel to these locations, and if there were any officials (civil servants, advisors, etc.) present at these events/meetings. If so, what are the pay grades, job titles/bands, of those present.
• Any notes and minutes taken of the meetings/events which took place.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Requests for the use of the Ministerial cars are issued to the Government Car Service from Ministerial Private Offices but these are not routinely kept. In terms of the routes taken, the Drivers do not follow pre-determined routes due to possible traffic build up and road closures, nor are the vehicles tracked. Government Car Service vehicles and drivers are operated as shared resources, and as a consequence frequently cover multiple customers throughout that day. We therefore we do not record costs for individual journeys. This is therefore a formal notice under Section 17, no information held.

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested. Exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA apply to some of the information you have requested. This means we have redacted information linked to 38(1)(b) relating to personal details of members of the public and Scottish Government officials under the grade of Senior Civil Servant.

For each of these visits, Mr Gray was accompanied by a Scottish Government official. For the visits relating to the matches for Aberdeen against Hibs, Rangers and Celtic, Mr Gray was also accompanied by a guest. He did not have a guest at the Aberdeen vs Livingston game. The names of these attendees are withheld under Section 38(1)(b) (personal information).

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FOI 202400440946- Information released - Annex

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