Logistics of retrieving the former First Minister’s body: FOI Review
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
Original request 202400437221
1. A copy of all dialogue between the Scottish Government and UK Government about the logistics of retrieving the former First Minister’s body.
2. A copy of the message or notification the Scottish Government received that a private citizen would be providing the transport.
3. The total amount of money the Scottish Government believed it would cost to retrieve the First Minister’s body home.
4. Please also provide confirmation as to whether or not the Scottish Government decided to not intervene and help retrieve the body.
If a decision of any kind was taken, please reveal who within the Scottish Government had a say and ultimately, on the record, made the decision, and when this decision was made.
Response
I have now completed my review of our failure to respond to your request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) for:
1. A copy of all dialogue between the Scottish Government and UK Government about the logistics of retrieving the former First Minister’s body.
2. A copy of the message or notification the Scottish Government received that a private citizen would be providing the transport.
3. The total amount of money the Scottish Government believed it would cost to retrieve the First Minister’s body home.
4. Please also provide confirmation as to whether or not the Scottish Government decided to not intervene and help retrieve the body.
If a decision of any kind was taken, please reveal who within the Scottish Government had a say and ultimately, on the record, made the decision, and when this decision was made.
In accordance with section 21(4) of FOISA, I have also reached a decision on your request.
I apologise for the delay in responding to your request. The reason for the delay is that, following Mr Salmond’s death, the Scottish Government received multiple requests for information relating to Mr Salmond’s death and his repatriation from North Macedonia. Furthermore, to find the relevant information for these requests it was necessary to search inboxes and files from across the Scottish Government, and the volume of information gathered was considerable. This information then had to be carefully considered, given its sensitive nature, and considered alongside the other similar cases we received to ensure a consistent approach.
The answers to your questions are:
Question 1: I enclose a copy of the information you requested at Annex 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 because exemptions under sections 28 (relations with the UK), 30(b)(ii) (free and frank provision of advice), 30(c) (effective conduct of public affairs) and 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA apply to that information. The reasons why those exemptions apply are explained in Annex A.
Question 2: The First Minister first became aware that a private benefactor had offered to pay for the charter of a private plane to bring Mr Salmond back to Scotland on the evening of 15 October. The First Minister exchanged text messages with Ewan Hunter, CEO of the Hunter Foundation, and later that night spoke to him on the phone. This was followed up on 16 October by an email from a family representative to the Scottish Government confirming the arrangements for the repatriation.
A copy of the text message exchange and subsequent email are attached at Annex C.
Question 3: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. Options were in the process of being explored on estimated costs when a private benefactor stepped forward
As such, I hereby provide you with formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
Question 4: No decision had yet been taken on the repatriation of the former First Minister. Ministers were considering options and before any decision was taken the First Minister became aware that a private benefactor had offered to fund the costs associated with the repatriation. A copy of the text message exchange between the First Minister and Ewan Hunter, and the subsequent email sent to the Scottish Government by a family representative, are attached at Annex C.
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 Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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