FOI/202400415375 · FOI · cost limit
Deputy Chief Constable retirements, damaged war memorials and drug consumption rooms: FOI release
Information requested
1. Could you supply all correspondence held, including internally, briefings, analysis and minutes/notes from meetings, about the retirements of DCCs Fiona Taylor and Malcolm Graham? Between December 1 2023 and the date of this FOI?
2. Could you supply all correspondence held, including internally, briefings, analysis and minutes/notes from meetings, about war memorials being damaged, between September 1 2023, and the date of this FOI?
3. Could you supply all correspondence held, including internally, briefings, analysis and minutes/notes from meetings about drug consumption rooms, from the last three months?
4. Could you supply all correspondence held, including internally, briefings, analysis and minutes/notes from meetings about juryless rape trials, from the last three months?
Response
Requests 1-4
I enclose a copy of some of the information you 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 the following sections of FOISA applies to that information:
29(1)(a) - Formulation/development of government policy 30(b)(i) - Substantial inhibition to free and frank provision of advice 30(b)(ii) - Substantial inhibition to free and frank exchange of views 36(1) - Confidentiality of communications 36(2) - Actionable breach of confidence 38(1)(b) - Third party personal data
The reasons why exemptions apply are explained in the Annex to this letter.
Request 4
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. This is because of the amount of official time that would be required to respond to a request of this breadth. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.
You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. This could involve narrowing the timeframe or being more specific in the types of information sought. 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 http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Detected exemption language
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 the following sections of FOISA applies to that information: 29(1)(a) - Formulation/development of government policy 30(b)(i) - Substantial inhibition to free and frank provision of advice 30(b)(ii) - Substantial inhibition to free and frank exchange of views 36(1) - Confidentiality of communications 36(2) - Actionable breach of confidence 38(1)(b) - Third party personal data The reasons why exemptions apply are explained in the Annex to this letter. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.