FOI/202100137214 · FOI · partially withheld
COVID-19: remote learning communications due to school closures: FOI release
Information requested
‘Any communications (including letters and emails) from members of the public to the Scottish Government concerning remote learning as a result of school closures. I would like this information from 17 December 2020 to 13 January 2020’
Response
I have conducted a search of our electronic records and contacted policy officials to conduct a search In their records for correspondences from members of the public in relation to your request. I enclose the information you have requested. In relation to the information which we have been able to supply - i.e. the email chains – I have applied an exemption at certain points under section 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA. This exemption applies because the relevant information is personal data of a third party, i.e. names and email addresses, and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. 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.
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.
Detected exemption language
the email chains – I have applied an exemption at certain points under section 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA. This exemption applies because the relevant information is personal data of a third party, i.e. names and email addresses, and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. 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.