Request
1. What information is held on the political affiliation of board members and senior staff within your organisation?
2. The current annual cost of press and media for your organisation. For 2021/2022 financial year; actual spending costs relating to anything which involves communications with press and/or media entities (journalists, newspapers, online bloggers, etc).
3. Total number of personnel employed to handle press and media for your organisation.
4. What guidelines have been issued to your organisation by the Scottish Government on press release and media.
Response
1. We do not hold this information about Board members or senior staff; section 17(1)(b)under FOISA applies where we do not hold that information. Board members are appointed by Scottish Ministers.
2. Please refer to the enclosed document (Press and Media Spend 2021-2022.pdf). Some of the costs – specifically items 4th & 5th down – include services that wouldn’t fall under the scope of your request (spending relating to anything which involves communications with press and/or media entities) but we cannot accurately split those costs so have included for completeness.
3. We have one full-time member of staff employed to liaise with press and media, alongside other duties, with two other members who offer occasional support alongside their other duties.
4. As of Thursday 30 June 2022, no guidelines have been issued to Crown Estate Scotland by Scottish Government on ‘press release and media’.
