FOI/19/01464 · FOI · partially withheld
Nicola Sturgeon and other parties, communications regarding Lochaber smelter: FOI release
Information requested
You requested:
(i) “communication between Nicola Sturgeon and other parties on the subject of the Lochaber smelter between January and June 2018”
and (ii) “any information surrounding her possible approval of an additional guarantee (beyond that offered in 2018) to the GFG Alliance aluminium and power facility at Fort William”.
In addition you asked (iii) “whether Nicola Sturgeon approved the offer of such a guarantee between January and June 2018”.
Response
We can answer the third part of your request directly by confirming that no other guarantee has been offered (or approved in any way) to any company of the GFG Alliance by the First Minister, any other Scottish Minister or official other than the guarantee noted in the Scottish Government’s Consolidated Accounts.
I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections of FOISA apply.
The reasons why these exemptions apply are explained in the annex to this letter. Some other sections of the source material have been withheld as they fall outside the scope of the three particular aspects of your request.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Detected exemption language
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections of FOISA apply. The reasons why these exemptions apply are explained in the annex to this letter.