Request
Your request was about the following information:
'1. What information is held on the political affiliation of board members and senior staff within your organisation?
2. a) The current annual cost of press and media for your organisation
and
b) the total number of personnel employed to handle press and media for your organisation
3. What guidelines have been issued to your organisation by the Scottish Government on press releases and media?'
Response
1. In Food Standards Scotland we do not hold information on the political affiliation of board members and senior staff within the organisation.
2. a) We have a Public Relations agency that is on retainer, but the contract ceases at the end of June and it will not be renewed. In the previous financial year we spent circa £45k with this Public Relations agency. So far this financial year we have spent £11k with this Public Relations agency. Future work with agencies will be on a project basis and requirements and costs will fluctuate depending on the level of support required and the number of food incidents ongoing. Cost for marketing campaigns is accounted for separately.
b) We have 2 full time members of staff recruited to look after communications, specifically press and media. A C1 Head of Press and Media and a B2 Communications Manager. It is worth mentioning that the Head of Marketing and Communications spends an excessive amount of her time on external communications too.
3. The only communications guidance from Scottish Government that we are aware of is that related to the use of brand ambassadors and influencers. This was circulated soon after the Jade Godley story last year.
