Ministerial car arrangements March 2023: FOI release

Information requested

1. Copies of any enquiries from ministers/representatives of ministers on whether the service would be available from the pub on March 23.

2. Any internal discussion within the SG over whether use of the car service for this event would be appropriate, and any responses to ministers/their representatives.

3. Any correspondence from the then First Minister, or any member of her private office, special advisor, or any other representative, on whether cars would or should be available.

4. The pick up/drop off times for each minister who was picked up from the Ghillie Dhu on March 23.

5. Whether any other person, other than the minister, were also taken in a car with them. If so, who these people were and at what time and where they were dropped off. Location can be a town/city, don't need exact addresses.

Response

1/2/3. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

4. Ministers made their own way to a private event at the Ghillie Dhu pub in Edinburgh therefore the Scottish Government does not hold ‘drop off’ times for Ministers. The Ministers listed below were picked up from outside this event for their journey home at the end of the working day.

The ‘pick up’ times for the Ministers recorded by Scottish Government Car Service are as follows:

‘Pick up’ time	Minister
23/03/2023 21:30	Tom Arthur
23/03/2023 21:00	Clare Haughey
23/03/2023 20:30	Neil Gray
23/03/2023 20:30	Mairi McAllan
23/03/2023 20:30	Michael Matheson
23/03/2023 21:00	Angela Constance
23/03/2023 20:00	Humza Yousaf
23/03/2023 21:30	Keith Brown
23/03/2023 20:30	Elena Whitham
23/03/2023 21:30	John Swinney
23/03/2023 21:30	Christina McKelvie
23/03/2023 21:30	Shona Robison

5. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for.

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 http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.