Publication - FOI/EIR release

Nicola Sturgeon Meetings August 2022: FOI release

Published: 8 January 2024
Directorate: Energy and Climate Change Directorate
Topic: Public sector
FOI reference: 202200331296
Date received: 21 November 2022
Date responded: 2 February 2023

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Information requested

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

1a) Nicola Sturgeon's call with Equinor on August 10, 2022
1b) Nicola Sturgeon's meeting with the Energy Companies Summit on August 23, 2022.
1c) Nicola Sturgeon's meeting with Andy Burnham on August 24, 2022
1d) Nicola Sturgeon's SGoRR meeting on the cost of living on August 11, 2022.

Response

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 s.12(1) – (excessive cost of compliance) , s.25(1) – (Information otherwise accessible), S.29 (1) (a) – (formulation or development of government policy) and s.38(1) (b) – (the personal data of a third party) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why the exemptions apply are explained in the response below.

I have considered each of your questions in turn and enclose a copy of the information you requested, where it is possible to provide this. I have explained the exemptions applied to each question in the response as follows;

In response to question 1a) Nicola Sturgeon's call with Equinor on August 10, 2022.

I have attached the following documents in response.

Readout Equinor 10 August 2022.
Letter for The Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP dated 22/08/22
First Minister Briefing - call with Equinor 10 August 2022

An exemption under section s.38(1) (b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption applies to the disclosure of personal information, and therefore names and email addresses of officials below the level of Senior Civil Service have been redacted.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

In response to question 1b) Nicola Sturgeon's meeting with the Energy Companies Summit on August 23, 2022.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. This is due to the various policy areas involved in the Energy Companies Summit and the detailed correspondence requested. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.

You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website.

In response to question 1c) Nicola Sturgeon's meeting with Andy Burnham on August 24, 2022.

All of the information you have requested has previously been provided in the following Freedom of Information requests:

FOI reference: FOI/202200317066 – Correspondence with Mayor of Greater Manchester and local authority: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/202200317025 - Mayor of Greater Manchester correspondence between specific dates: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/202200320940 - Office of Mayor of Greater Manchester correspondence: FOI release

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 listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

In response to question 1d) Nicola Sturgeon's SGoRR meeting on the cost of living on August 11, 2022.

An exemption under section s.29 (1)(a) of FOISA applies to all of the information you have requested. This exemption relates to the formulation or development of government policy. 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 some public interest in release because of the interest in open and transparent government. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in issuing information on policy which is still under development.

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.