Meetings of the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care Sept-Oct 2022: FOI release

Information requested

All internal and external correspondence within and sent or received by the ScottishGovernment including attached documents, meeting handouts,memos, briefings to ministers, attendee lists, location of meeting, notes, minutes, or OneNote memos, linked to the following meetings:

1. Kevin Stewart's meetings with IJB Chief officers on September 5 and October 20
2. Kevin Stewart's meeting with Rachel Cackett on September 6, 2022
3. Kevin Stewart's meeting with Louise Hunter on September 7, 2022
4. Kevin Stewart's meeting with the CEO of the Care Inspectorate on September  29, 2022.
5. Kevin Stewart's meeting with COSLA leaders Cllr Kelly and Cllr Buchanan on October 19, 2022
6. Kevin Stewart's meeting with NHS Chairs on October 24, 2022
7. Kevin Stewart's meetings with Cammy Day on October 25 and 27, 2022.

Response

I enclose a copy of a document showing the prepared agenda's and notes for the meetings in your request. Please note, some redactions have been made for names of officials below Senior Civil Service level.

Some of the information you have requested is already publicly available from NHS Chairs minutes: October 2022 - gov.scot, Publications - Public Health Scotland , Show all releases. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

In regards to 7) Kevin Stewart's meetings with Cammy Day on October 25 and 27, 2022, the Scottish Government does not hold this information. The reason to this is that the meeting was held privately therefore there was no correspondence created in relation to this discussion.

An exemption under sections 29(1)(a) (formulation or development of Scottish Government policy) of FOISA applies to some the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit future policy formulation. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers and officials to have a private space within which to discuss and explore options before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view.

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. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers and officials, which would not be in the public interest.

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.

202300338442_Agendas and meeting notes FOI (002)

File type

PDF

File size

232.5 kB