FOI/202500468572 · FOI · partially withheld
Correspondence relating to music group Kneecap: FOI release
Information requested
Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the First Minister and any Scottish Government Official with a rank of Deputy Director or higher regarding the rap group “kneecap”
Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 February 2025 and 30 May 2025 inclusive.
Response
Section 17(1) exemption
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because there are no records of exchanges between Deputy Director or above and the office of the First Minister regarding the rap group "Kneecap".
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
Section 27(1) exemption
However, I would flag that there has been traffic within the Scottish Government below the grade of Deputy Director and that this would include references to Kneecap. Whilst Deputy Directors were copied into these exchanges, they were recipients for information purposes and therefore outwith the scope of this FOI.
Therefore, whilst an exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to that information in respect of current or completed FOI requests which we intend to publish within 12 weeks of the date of your request, I attach a copy of that material, under earlier competed FOI requests, for your information. The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. You can view all FOI responses at Freedom of information (FOI): document collection - gov.scot.
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
Response Section 17(1) exemption The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because there are no records of exchanges between Deputy Director or above and the office of the First Minister regarding the rap group "Kneecap". This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. Section 27(1) exemption However, I would flag that there has been traffic within the Scottish Government below the grade of Deputy Director and that this would include references to Kneecap. Therefore, whilst an exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to that information in respect of current or completed FOI requests which we intend to publish within 12 weeks of the date of your request, I attach a copy of that material, under earlier competed FOI requests, for your information.