EIR/202600512672 · FOI/EIR · cost limit
Correspondence regarding Rural Support Plan: EIR release
Information requested
1. Any correspondence sent from Jim Fairlie, regarding the rural support plan, since 1 March 2026.
2. Any correspondence sent from Mairi Gougeon, regarding the rural support plan, since 1 March 2026.
3. Any correspondence sent to Jim Fairlie, regarding the rural support plan, since 1 March 2026.
4. Any correspondence sent to Mairi Gougeon, regarding the rural support plan, since 1 March 2026.
Response
I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in the format you asked for.
Some of the information you have requested is available from:
Rural Support Plan: 2026 to 2031
Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Website
Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Website
Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Website
Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. 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.
An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party 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 exception 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 exception.
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 an exception(s) under regulation(s) reg 10(4)(e) (internal communications), reg 10(5)(d) (Advice by the Law Officers)] and reg 10(4)(d) Material in the course of completion (drafts) of the EIRs applies to that information. The reasons why that exception(s) applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.
As the exception is conditional we have applied the 'public interest test'. This means we have, in all the circumstances of this case, considered if the public interest in disclosing information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about the Rural Support Plan, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring the efficient and effective use of public resources by not incurring excessive costs when complying with information requests.
You may however wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order to make it manageable. For example, you could specify the subject matter(s) of the correspondence you are interested in or restrict your request to a specific business area of the Scottish Government, as this would allow us to limit the searches that would require to be conducted. 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 at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Detected exemption language
An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party 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.