24-25/54

I refer to your request for information (FOI 24-25/54) dated 23 October 2024 for records related to a previous email which we have handled under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA).

You asked for "internal correspondence relating to the preparation of the email you sent on 7 December 2022” to include “email inboxes, sent items, email archives, email deleted items, email deleted sent items” between 8 November 2022 and 8 December 2022 to include a search for records referencing a named individual. You also asked for messaging systems to be checked for the same period as well as “corporate system backup copies” for the period between 8 November 2022 and8 January 2023.

Please note that we have searched and do not hold a record relating to the preparation of the email dated 7 December 2022. I have therefore applied section 17(1)(b) of FOISA to this response as we do not hold this information.

You may contact informationgovernance@gtcs.org.uk if you are dissatisfied with this response, to request GTC Scotland conduct a review of it. You should describe the original request and explain your grounds of review. You have 40 working days from receipt of this response to submit a review request. When the review process has been completed, if you are still dissatisfied, you may use the Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance on making an appeal to make an appeal to the Commissioner.

I refer to your request dated 21 November2024 for a review of the response you received on 19 November to your original information request to GTC Scotland (FOI 24-25/54), dated 23 October 2024.

You have expressed dissatisfaction with our response to your information request. To enable your review request to be considered afresh and by someone who has not responded to your original request, I have been appointed to undertake the internal review on behalf of GTC Scotland.

Your original request

In your original request you asked for the following:

Please could you provide copies(redacted if necessary) of all information held by GTC Scotland which is internal correspondence relating to the preparation of the email you sent on 7 December 2022 or any section within it.

On 19 November, we indicated that we did not hold a record regarding internal correspondence and applied section 17(1)(b) of FOISA. On 21 November, you sent an email requesting we review our decision in FOI 24-25/54 under section 20(1) of FOISA.

Your internal review request

In your review request of 21 November, you state:

I request a review of the response below on the grounds that I have not received adequate reassurance that appropriate searches have been carried out.

Please see our response to your request for an internal review below.

Our response

I can confirm that we have conducted all necessary and reasonable searches related to your request and have not identified any records related to the preparation of the email sent on 7 December 2022.

As such, I consider that our decision to apply section 17(1)(b) should be upheld without modification.

If you are dissatisfied with this response to your review request, you have a right of appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months of this review response. The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance on making an appeal describes the process, including the application form. Further information, including relevant contact details is available on the website. If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the Commissioner, following an appeal to the Commissioner, you have a right of appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law.