FOI/202600509098 · FOI · partially withheld
First Minister’s 2025 Christmas card information: FOI release
Information requested
1. The original image file The original, unedited photograph used on the First Minister’s 2025 Christmas card, including any available metadata (EXIF data).
2. Authorship and provenance Any documents, emails, or internal communications confirming who took the photograph. Any documents recording when and where the photograph was taken. Any declarations, statements, or confirmations of authorship provided to the Communications Directorate or the First Minister’s Private Office.
3. Image selection process All internal communications, emails, drafts, or notes discussing the selection of the photograph for the 2025 Christmas card. Any alternative images that were proposed, shortlisted, or considered. Any design briefs, rationale documents, or internal notes explaining why this image was chosen.
4. Copyright and licensing Any copyright, licensing, or permissions documentation relating to the photograph. Any correspondence with external photographers, agencies, or rights‑holders (if applicable).
5. Costs Any costs incurred in producing the 2025 Christmas card, including design, printing, licensing, or distribution.
For clarity, I am not seeking personal data of third parties. If redaction is required under section 38(1) (b), please provide the remaining material.
If any part of this request is unclear or would benefit from refinement, I would be happy to assist.
Response
I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in the format you asked for.
Question 1 - the original image is attached.
Question 2 - information is attached.
Question 3 - alternative images considered are attached and emails on this are also attached.
Question 4 - following a search of Scottish Government records no information was found relating to question 4. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
Question 5 - the cost for designing and printing the Christmas cards was £1039.79 (including VAT). Following a search of Scottish Government records no information was found relating to the licensing or distribution of the cards. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
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 section 38(1)(b) (personal information) applies to a small amount of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, ie names/contact details of individuals, 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.
These exemptions are 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
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Detected exemption language
If redaction is required under section 38(1) (b), please provide the remaining material. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. 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 section 38(1)(b) (personal information) applies to a small amount of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, ie names/contact details of individuals, 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. These exemptions are 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.