FOI/202300372115 · FOI · partially withheld
Nicola Sturgeon London trip March 2023: FOI release
Information requested
Please provide the receipts and invoices for Nicola Sturgeon and her delegation who travelled to London for her Loose Women appearance on March 20. This includes any officials from the Scottish Government. I am looking for the invoices/booking confirmations for any travel, accommodation, food, office costs etc, associated with the trip. A list of those who attended the London trip with Ms Sturgeon and their job titles. Did Ms Sturgeon receive any payment for her Loose Women appearance? And if so, how much? Where did this money go? Can Scottish Government ministers or officials be "surcharged" if found to be spending public cash inappropriately? All correspondence received and sent by the Scottish Government regarding the "Ghillie Dhu" night out where SNP ministers gathered and used the ministerial car service to get home between March 1 and the date of this FOI.
Response
Please see attached annex Ms Sturgeon was accompanied by a Private Secretary and a Special Advisor No fee was received All Ministers are required to adhere to the Scottish Ministerial Code. A copy of it can be found here: Scottish Ministerial Code: 2023 Edition - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) An exemption(s) under section(s) 27 (1) of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested. This exemption can be applied when it is the intention of the relevant Scottish public authority to publish the information no later than 12 weeks after the date on which the request was made.
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
A copy of it can be found here: Scottish Ministerial Code: 2023 Edition - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) An exemption(s) under section(s) 27 (1) of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested. This exemption can be applied when it is the intention of the relevant Scottish public authority to publish the information no later than 12 weeks after the date on which the request was made.