(SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 (FOISA) Your Request 1) “Are the Scottish
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Health and Social Care Health Protection Division a b c d Chris Davies [email protected] Our Reference: 202100156906 Your Reference: Freedom of Information request - Faulty PCR tests 16 May 2021 Dear Chris Davies, REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 (FOISA) Thank you for your email of 13 February 2021 under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA). I apologise for the delay in responding to your request for information. The delay has arisen as a result of the very high volumes of correspondence that we are experiencing in relation to the coronavirus outbreak. We are taking steps to ensure that FOI requests are processed timeously in future, and I apologise for the inconvenience on this occasion. Your request You asked the following: 1) “Are The Scottish Government and specifically Nicola Sturgeon aware that PCR test is faulty for what you are using it for and that the man who invented it, Kary Mullens, says it is not fit for the purpose being used by The Scottish Government. So The Scottish Government is essentially committing fraud.” 2) “What is the Scottish Government's involvement with The Clinton Foundation and researchers at Edinburgh University?” 3) “Why are researchers at Edinburgh University [i.e. Devi Sridhar] connected to the Clinton St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot foundation advising the First Minister?” 4) “What influence does she [i.e. Devi Sridhar] have over policy decisions affecting lockdown and vaccinations?” 5) “Does the Clinton Foundation fund the Scottish Government in any way and if so how much and what for?” Response to your request I have responded to your questions below. Question 1 - This request is invalid because it does not describe any specific information being requested. A request is not valid if it does not, in accordance with section 8(1)(c) of FOISA describe the information requested. You appear to be looking to confirm the effectiveness of the use of PCR tests, however, your request does not clearly identify the particular information you are looking for as a result we do not consider it to be a valid request under FOISA. Accordingly, we are not obliged to respond to it. If you wish to rephrase your request to clearly describe the information you are looking for, rather than simply setting out your aim, we would be able to consider your request and respond in accordance with FOISA. If you need any further advice and assistance to rephrase your request, please contact me. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner’s ‘Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs’ on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx. That said, I have included the following information that you may find helpful regarding the issue of testing. Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction test (RT-PCR or qRT-PCR) also known as PCR tests or Nucleic Acid Amplification tests (NAATs) use a highly sensitive and specific technique which is the gold standard for diagnosing viral infections. The technique identifies and amplifies a specific section of the viral genetic material, known as a target, which are used to identify the causative agent of COVID-19 disease, the SARS-CoV-2 virus. There are a variety of RT-PCR tests currently in use in Scotland to confirm the presence of the virus SARS CoV-2, all of which are regulated and approved by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and thereafter validated for use by the Scottish laboratory performing the test. Furthermore, many of the commercial assays are used as the primary method for diagnosis by a number of other countries world-wide. Further information regarding the RT-PCR test can be found in Public Health Scotland’s frequently asked questions document: https://hpspubsrepo.blob.core.windows.net/hps- website/nss/2961/documents/1_covid-19-laboratory-testing-faq.pdf Question 2 - This request is invalid because it does not describe any specific information being requested. A request is not valid if it does not, in accordance with section 8(1)(c) of FOISA describe the information requested. St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot You appear to be looking to confirm any relationship between the Scottish Government and the Clinton Foundation and researchers at Edinburgh University, however, your request does not clearly identify the particular information you are looking for as a result we do not consider it to be a valid request under FOISA. Accordingly, we are not obliged to respond to it. If you wish to rephrase your request to clearly describe the information you are looking for, rather than simply setting out your aim, we would be able to consider your request and respond in accordance with FOISA. If you need any further advice and assistance to rephrase your request, please contact me. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner’s ‘Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs’ on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx. That said, I have included the following information that you may find helpful. The Scottish Government has no direct dealings with the Clinton Foundation. Although we are in regular contact with different people at the University of Edinburgh, we have never discussed any funding from the Clinton Foundation with them nor dealt with Professor Devi Sridhar specifically, other than in connection with her attending and contributing to meetings of the Scottish Governments Covid- 19 Advisory Group and it’s subgroup as well the Advisory Subgroup on Education and Children’s Issues. Question 3 - This request is invalid because it does not describe any specific information being requested. A request is not valid if it does not, in accordance with section 8(1)(c) of FOISA describe the information requested. You appear to be looking to confirm why the First Minister receives advice from the sources you have identified, however, your request does not clearly identify the particular information you are looking for as a result we do not consider it to be a valid request under FOISA. Accordingly, we are not obliged to respond to it. If you wish to rephrase your request to clearly describe the information you are looking for, rather than simply setting out your aim, we would be able to consider your request and respond in accordance with FOISA. If you need any further advice and assistance to rephrase your request, please contact me. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner’s ‘Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs’ on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx That said, I have included the following information that you may find helpful. Professor Sridhar is a member of the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Advisory Group and the Advisory Subgroup on Education and Children’s Issues. Members of the Advisory Group are public health experts, clinicians and academics spanning the disciplines of epidemiology, virology, public health, behavioural sciences, global health, medicine and statistical modelling, while members of the subgroup include scientific and public health experts, clinicians and academics, as well as experts in education, early learning and children’s services. Members of both groups are appointed on a personal basis and not as representatives of any institutions or organisations. Question 4 - This request is invalid because it does not describe any specific information being requested. A request is not valid if it does not, in accordance with section 8(1)(c) of FOISA describe the information requested. You appear to be looking to confirm the impact of Professor Sridhar role, however, your request does not clearly identify the particular information you are looking for as a result we do not consider it to be a valid request under FOISA. Accordingly, we are not obliged to respond to it. If you wish to rephrase St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.gov.scot your request to clearly describe the information you are looking for, rather than simply setting out your aim, we would be able to consider your request and respond in accordance with FOISA. If you need any further advice and assistance to rephrase your request, please contact me. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner’s ‘Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs’ on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx That said, I have included the following information that you may find helpful. The role of the Advisory Group is to provide additional scientific analysis of the impact of Covid-19 in Scotland. The group considers the scientific and technical concepts and processes that are key to understanding Covid-19 and potential impacts in Scotland. The group applies the advice coming to the four nations from the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) and other appropriate sources of evidence and information and use it to provide advice to the Chief Medical Officer and Ministers in order to inform decisions in Scotland during the pandemic. Full details of the subgroup’s remit and membership can be found here. The role of the subgroup is to provide increased capacity and capability to provide rapid, regular and more granular scientific advice on education and children’s issues to support the iterative development of guidance, with a focussed remit, covering all issues affecting early learning centres and schools, and linked children’s services issues. The subgroup also gives detailed consideration of how public health advice can be applied to operational implementation.