Meetings between Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and Secretary for Education: FOI release

Information requested

1. The number of meetings the cabinet secretary for education and skills (Scotland) has had with the secretary of state for education (England) since taking up the post.

2. The number of meetings that have been requested between cabinet secretary and the secretary of state over this period.

3. The number of meetings the cabinet secretary for education and skills has had with other minister within the education department in the UK Government or civil servants working for the Education department within the UK Government.

4. The number of meetings officials for cabinet secretary for education and skills has had with the secretary of state for education (England) since Jenny Gilruth became the cabinet secretary.

Response

1. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills has not met with the UK Government’s the Secretary of State for Education.

Two introductory phone calls had been planned in April and May but these did not go ahead.

2. The Secretary of State offered a meeting for official or ministerial engagement in a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Education on 2nd of September.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills responded to this letter on the 3rd of September and requested a meeting of the Cross Government Ministerial RAAC Group on the 5th of September. There were additional letters sent to The Secretary of State, which did not specifically request a meeting, and were not responded to.

3. Ms Gilruth met Baroness Barron on the 31st of August and Nick Gibb, Minister of State for Schools, on the 4th of October.

4. Scottish Government officials met the Secretary of State with Graeme Dey, Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans, in Liverpool at the Education Ministers council. You may wish to note that this was as part of four nations meeting and not an official meeting with the Secretary of State.

Senior Civil Servant officials also met the Secretary of State on an introductory call in April. The Cabinet Secretary was not on that call.

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.