Response

Your request for information has been considered and the Authority is able to provide the following.

You asked for “Exact details of the SPAs claimed ‘due diligence’ concerning [named individual’s] role as an ‘independent external expert’”

Forensic Services can advise that the external interview panel member for vacancy ID 2719 - Forensic Lead (Firearms) was asked the following:

“Can you confirm that you have no personal knowledge of the candidate out with any possible work interactions”.

You asked for “[Named individual’s] email response relating to the above”.

An extract from an email received in response dated Friday 23 August 2024 is provided.

“hi
Re the candidates, I have met/ know professionally [information redacted in terms of Section 38(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Personal data of the applicant and Section 38(1)(b) – Third party data]. I may recognise face and not know names or vice versa vbut that is the extent of my “relationship”.

I know them either through NABIS FFP meetings, police firearms expert (as in not forensic expert witness) meetings, ENFSI meetings, NCA /Helston Gunsmith workshop, or training course that I have arranged in the MPS and invited them to join.”

Information has been redacted where this is your own personal information or that of a third party as this is exempt in terms of the Act.

These exemptions are absolute and do not require application of the public interest test. While you may have a legitimate interest in disclosure of this information, it is our view that those interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects. Interview panel members and applicants would not expect their personal information to be disclosed into the public domain.

To assist, we would advise that individuals can submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) to request information which relates to them. Information on submitting a SAR is available on our website.