Dear Heather Brooke,

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON COSTS OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION & MARKETING, EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND PRESS OFFICES

Thank you for requesting information relating to costs of freedom of information and marketing, external communications and press offices, which we received on 28^th July 2009.

On 31^st July we wrote to you seeking clarification of your request to enable us to reply as comprehensively as possible. Since we did not have a reply from you, and in order to be helpful, we wrote again on 13^th August supplying information which is readily available in terms of our media relations office structure, function and costs, The Media Relations Office has a broader remit than a press office as you will see from the information provided. We hope this is helpful. We also provided information about how we manage and resource Freedom of Information Requests. The letter also included an organisation chart to assist you in clarifying your request.

Thank you for your reply to the clarification letter on 18 August 2009.

As we explained we asked for clarification on your request because the Scottish Parliament's focus is public engagement in the parliamentary process. Unlike government departments the Scottish Parliament does not have any role in communicating specific policies or initiatives. Its role is to legislate and hold the Scottish Government to account.

This focus on public engagement with the parliamentary process results in a wide range of activities being undertaken in a range of offices. Naturally some of these activities involve communication with specific groups or individuals as part and parcel of public engagement. However we do not have any dedicated marketing or external communications posts or teams.

In your reply of 18 August you picked out a few specific teams that you felt might fit your request and that you would like more information on. We are not able to ascertain if this information does fit with what you are looking for however we are happy to fully provide this additional information as follows.

Corporate Publications Team

The Corporate Publications Team is responsible for managing the Parliament's design and print production contracts, including electronic only publications. This includes official business publications (such as the official report and committee reports) as well as corporate publications (such as the range of public information literature explaining the Parliament's role and how to engage).

The Corporate Publications Team also manages the Parliament's copyright policy and the use of the Scottish Parliament corporate identity. The team has two full time equivalent members of staff. Staff costs for the Corporate Publications Team are:

April/June 2009 £24,082

08/09 £113,897

07/08 £90,609

06/07 £102,805

The total annual costs of running the Corporate Publications Service as described above are:

April - June 2009 £200,913

08/09 £992,146

07/08 £1,025,094

06/07 £1,033,758

Please note that these figures for total running costs also include salaries and wages, pension costs, social security, overtime and agency staff pay where applicable.

Public Information Services

The Public Information Team is responsible for providing the Parliament's switchboard and responding to email/telephone/written enquiries from the public. The team also develops the range of public information materials available to visitors in the Parliament's main hall and via the website; manages requests for translation and interpretation and alternative formats such as Braille, so that all those living in Scotland can access the Parliament and its information materials; and manage the Parliament's public complaints policy. The team has eight full time equivalent members of staff. Staff costs for the Public information Team are:

April/June 2009 £59,674

08/09 £256,869

07/08 £233,022

06/07 £195,311

The total annual costs of running the Public Information Service as described above are:

April - June 2009 £64,437

08/09 £318,858

07/08 £278,552

06/07 £216,081

Please note that these figures for total running costs also include salaries and wages, pension costs, social security, overtime and agency staff pay where applicable.

Broadcasting & Production Office

The Broadcasting & Production Office is responsible for televising all chamber and committee business at Holyrood and providing these pictures to external broadcasters; streaming business on the internet at www.holyrood.tv; webcasting major events like the Festival of Politics; and producing a range of information films about the Parliament and its work. There are 4.4 full time equivalent members of staff. Staff costs for the Broadcast & Production Office are:

April/June 2009 £51,084

08/09 £198,064

07/08 £187,961

06/07 £167,963

The total annual costs of running the Broadcast & Production service as described above are:

April - June 2009 £207,838

08/09 £943,759

07/08 £1,007,071

06/07 £944,338

Please note that these figures for total running costs also include salaries and wages, pension costs, social security, overtime and agency staff pay where applicable.

The External Liaison Unit

The External Liaison Unit is responsible for supporting the Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officers in relations with other parliaments, governments and their representatives, including Embassies in the UK and the Consular Corps in Scotland and outward international visits, including their contribution to European Union institutions; supporting MSP participation in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Scotland Branch; supporting MSP participation in the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly; organising and supporting Parliament's participation in Scotland Week; organising and managing around 120 inward international and interparliamentary visits from the UK and around the world each year. There are 4 full time equivalent members of staff. Staff costs for the External Liaison Unit are:

April/June 2009 £60,461

08/09 £246,906

07/08 £230,850

06/07 £260,926

The total annual costs of running the External Liaison Unit service as described above are:

April - June 2009 £67,183

08/09 £386,623

07/08 £349,176

06/07 £387,994

Please note that these figures for total running costs also include salaries and wages, pension costs, social security, overtime and agency staff pay where applicable.

Head of Public Affairs Group

The Head of the Public Affairs Group is responsible for preparing the SPCB public engagement programme and is operationally responsible for its delivery. This includes marketing new public engagement initiatives as part of the Parliament's tenth anniversary.

From 2006 - March 2009 staffing costs were for the postholder only. The current salary bandwidth for this grade of post is £60,954 - £72, 396.

From April 2009 staffing costs are for two full time equivalent staff. The total staffing budget to date is £23,961.

The total annual costs of running the Head of Public Affairs Group's function as described above are:

April - June 2009 £54,484

08/09 £108,176

07/08 £87,979

06/07 £82,861

Please note that these figures for total running costs also include salaries and wages, pension costs, social security, overtime and agency staff pay where applicable.

Freedom of Information

You also asked for the total cost of complying with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act. The largest cost to our organisation is the staff time involved in progressing replies to freedom of information (FOI) requests, so our reply of 13^th August set out the actual cost of this based on the number of hours recorded by FOI Decision Takers as spent progressing freedom of information requests.

Co-ordination of freedom of information requests is undertaken by staff based in the Enquiries Team within Information Services which is part of the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe). The salary bands for these two members of staff have already been supplied to you.

We allocate costs to general accounts and do not assign the costs of our resources to individual activities. Therefore we cannot itemise the costs of FOI compliance any further. However, in order to assist you, we have identified the training costs associated with FOI staff and we have set these out below. There are no other office costs directly attributable to FOI during the past three years.

Training of FOI Decision Takers is managed in-house and the costs are therefore covered by the staff costs in SPICe.

In keeping with our FOI procedures, this information may also be posted on the Parliament's disclosure log (usually within 24 hours). For further details on the Parliament's Disclosure Log and the information released under FOI, visit:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/FOI/

The supply of information under FOI does not constitute permission for its use in a way that would infringe copyright. Where relevant, you should obtain permission from the copyright holder before any such use.

We would welcome feedback or comment on how we handled your request. Please feel free to contact the FOI Specialist at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP or by e-mail at [Scottish Parliament request email]

Please find below Annex A, which explains how we handle FOI requests and reviews.

Yours sincerely

Claire Turnbull

FOI SpecialistAnnex A

REQUESTS MADE UNDER

THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002

How we handle FOI requests

Information on how we handle FOI requests is available on the Parliament's website at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/foi/Makingrequest.htm

Alternatively, please contact the Parliament's Public Information Service to request a copy.

Review

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which we have dealt with your request for information, you can ask us to review our decision and actions. You must do this in writing (or other permanent form) within 40 working days of the date of this letter, stating the reasons for your dissatisfaction, and we will respond within 20 working days of receipt. A request for a review should be made to the FOI Specialist:

Post: FOI Specialist

The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh

EH99 1SP

Telephone: 0131 348 6913 (RNID Typetalk calls welcome)

Textphone: 0131 348 3415

Fax: 0131 348 5378

E-mail: [Scottish Parliament request email]

Application to the Scottish Information Commissioner

If, on the outcome of any review, you are still dissatisfied, or if we are unable to resolve any other complaint, then you can contact the Scottish Information Commissioner:

Post: The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner

Kinburn Castle

Doubledykes Road

St Andrews

Fife

KY16 9DS

Telephone: 01334 464610

Fax: 01334 464611

Website: www.itspublicknowledge.info

E-mail: [email address]

A decision by the Scottish Information Commissioner may be appealed, on a point of law, to the Court of Session.

Copyright in relation to information provided

The supply of information under FOI does not constitute permission for its use in a way that would infringe copyright. Where relevant, you should obtain permission from the copyright holder before any such use.

Feedback or comment

We would welcome feedback or comment on how we handled your request. Please contact the FOI Specialist.

Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which we dealt with your enquiry, then you may wish to raise the matter with the FOI Specialist.

How to contact us

Post: The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh

EH99 1SP

Telephone: 0131 348 5000

0800 092 7500 (Public Enquiries)

0131 348 5395 (Ghàidhlig)

Textphone users can contact us on 0800 092 7100

We also welcome calls using the RNID Typetalk service.

Fax: 0131 348 5601

E-mail: [email address]