FOI/202600500404 · FOI · partially withheld
Correspondence between Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board and selected Ministers: FOI release
Information requested
(1) Correspondence sent to Jim Fairlie or Mairi Gougeon from members or former members of the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board, within the last year.
(2) Correspondence sent from Jim Fairle or Mairi Gougeon to members or former members of the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board, within the last year.
(3) Any other correspondence sent to Jim Fairlie or Mairi Gougeon relating to the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board, within the last year.
(4) Any other correspondence sent from Jim Fairlie or Mairi Gougeon relating to the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board, within the last year.
Response
I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.
REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION
Regulation 10(4)(d) – material in course of completion, unfinished documents or incomplete data
An exception under regulation 10(4)(d) of the EIRs (unfinished or incomplete information) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is material which is still in the course of completion or an unfinished document. The material which this exception applies to is draft copies of minutes which have since been published on the Scottish Government website. This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is some public interest in release as part of open, transparent and accountable government and in line with this, all minutes of meetings of the ARIOB are published on the Scottish Government website. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that unfinished or incomplete information which is still in being worked on or is under active consideration, such as the aforementioned draft minutes, is not disclosed when it might misinform the public or give a misleading impression of the Government’s view or position on the matter to which the information relates.
Regulation 10(4)(e) – internal communications
An exception under regulation 10(4)(e) of the EIRs (internal communications) applies to a small amount of the information you have requested because it is internal communication between Scottish Government Ministers and officials about The Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB). These include early discussions and work in progress that the ARIOB is involved with.
This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is some public interest in release as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and decisions. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to debate those rigorously, to fully understand their possible implications. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether the discussions on the ARIOB will be disclosed in the near future, when it may undermine or constrain the Government’s view on Agricultural Reform in Scotland while it is still under discussion and development.
Regulation 11(2) – personal information
An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to a small part of the information such as: names, email addresses, phone numbers, etc 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.
Regulation 6 (1) (b)- information otherwise available
Some of the information you have requested is available from the Scottish Government website, where the minutes from all meetings of the ARIOB are published:
Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board minutes: 28 February 2025 - gov.scot Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board minutes: 31 May 2024 - gov.scot Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board minutes: 30 May 2025 - gov.scot Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board minutes: 27 September 2024 - gov.scot
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.
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
REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION Regulation 10(4)(d) – material in course of completion, unfinished documents or incomplete data An exception under regulation 10(4)(d) of the EIRs (unfinished or incomplete information) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is material which is still in the course of completion or an unfinished document. Regulation 10(4)(e) – internal communications An exception under regulation 10(4)(e) of the EIRs (internal communications) applies to a small amount of the information you have requested because it is internal communication between Scottish Government Ministers and officials about The Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB). Regulation 11(2) – personal information An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to a small part of the information such as: names, email addresses, phone numbers, etc 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.