· FOI/EIR · already published
Assessment of Clydeplan prior to approval: EIR review
Information requested
The paperwork/scrutiny which shows how the plan (Clydeplan) was assessed by the Scottish Government prior to modifications and approval being given.
Response
Further to my letter of 3 October I have now completed my review of our response to your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs).
On 21 September Carrie Thomson responded providing some of the information requested. Some information was considered exempt from disclosure under the EIRs citing:
Regulation 6(1)(b) - information otherwise accessible Regulation 10(4)(e) - internal communications
After carefully reviewing the information within the scope of the request I believe that some additional information can be released. This additional information is highlighted in the attached appendix. While I recognise that there is some public interest in release of further information as part of transparent and open government and to inform public debate there is a greater public interest in high quality decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of decisions. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to debate those rigorously, to fully understand their possible implications. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether the discussions on these issues will be disclosed in the near future.
Detected exemption language
Some information was considered exempt from disclosure under the EIRs citing: Regulation 6(1)(b) - information otherwise accessible Regulation 10(4)(e) - internal communications After carefully reviewing the information within the scope of the request I believe that some additional information can be released.