National Tennis Centre closure correspondence: FOI release

Information requested

All documentation held, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), briefings, minutes/notes from meetings, analysis, about the National Tennis Academy in Scotland shutting down, from the last six months.

All correspondence, including minutes from meetings and briefings, between Celtic and Rangers and the Scottish Government about the League Cup Final from the past three months.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested relating to the closing of the National Tennis Centre. Exemptions under sections 38(1)(b) personal information and 30(b)(i) free and frank advice to Minister of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested.

Exemption 38(1)(b) prevents the release of personal information for people deemed below the grade of a senior civil servant.

Exemption 30(b)(i) enables civil servants to provide Ministers with sensitive information which may be harmful for external stakeholders should this information enter the public domain. 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 policies 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.

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for in terms of correspondence between Celtic and Rangers and the Scottish Government on the League Cup Final because no correspondence or briefings were received or meetings took place. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500446528 - Information released - Annex

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