FOI/202600518576 · FOI · not held
First Home Fund information: FOI release
Information requested
1) All data collected by the Scottish Government indicating the impact that this policy will have on house prices.
2) All analyses indicating the number of house purchases that will be made using this loan that would not have been made without it.
3) The predicted or expected rate of return to the Scottish Government as a result of loans from this fund.
4) Any other data or evidence assembled or held by the Scottish Government that supports this policy.
Response
I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in PDF format titled to match the question it is answering. This includes:
First Homes Fund AO spend control First Homes Fund Pre-expenditure assessment First Homes Fund Briefing to Parliament First Homes Fund 100 Days Commitment Submission First Homes Fund Analytics Summary Emails relating to First Homes Fund
For your first and second question some of the information you have requested is available from:
First Home Fund - quantitative and qualitative analysis: evaluation synthesis - gov.scot First Home Fund Shared Equity Scheme: qualitative evaluation - gov.scot First Home Fund evaluation: quantitative analysis - gov.scot
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The reasons why we don't have the information are explained below.
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for regarding:
3) The predicted or expected rate of return to the Scottish Government as a result of loans from this fund.
because the Scottish Government does not hold this information as this is not something that has been calculated. The Scottish Government shared equity schemes are demand lead. The equity stake due back to Scottish Ministers at time of sale or by an owner increasing their equity stake can happen at any time and the money received is due back to HM Treasury.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some the information you have requested because exemptions under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information), s.29(1)(a) (formulation or development of Scottish Government policy), s.30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice) and s.33(1)(b) (commercial interests) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained below.
An exemption under section s.38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested. This exemption relates to personal information of civil servants who are not part of the Senior Civil Service. These officials have had their names, email addresses, and contact numbers redacted.
This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.
An exemption under section 29(1)(a) of FOISA (formulation or development of government policy) applies to some of the information requested because it relates to the development of the Scottish Government’s policy on the First Homes Fund.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and 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 the First Homes Fund will be disclosed in the near future, when it may undermine or constrain the Government’s view on that policy while it is still under discussion and development.
An exemption under section s.30(b)(i) of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the convention of the collective responsibility of Scottish Ministers for the Scottish Government’s decision on the ongoing budget discussions for housing and First Homes Fund policy development. Government in Scotland, as in the rest of the UK, has long worked under the convention that Ministers are collectively responsible for decisions and their delivery. Collective responsibility requires collective discretion, and ensures that Ministers can express their views frankly in internal discussion of an issue while maintaining a united front once decisions have been reached. Disclosing communications between individual Ministers and officials which record their views would prejudice substantially the maintenance of the convention.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space within which officials can provide full and frank advice to Ministers and other officials, as part of the process of exploring and refining the Government’s position on the ongoing budget discussions for housing and ongoing policy development of First Homes Fund, until the Government as a whole can adopt a decision that is sound and likely to be effective. This private thinking space is essential to enable all options to be properly considered, based on the best available advice, so that good decisions can be taken. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers and officials, which in turn will undermine the quality of the decision making process, which would not be in the public interest.
An exemption under section s.33(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested. This exemption applies because disclosure of this particular information would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the commercial interests of C-urb 6 Ltd and Harper Macleod. Disclosing this information would be likely to give C-urb 6 Ltd’s and Harper Macleod's competitors an advantage in future similar tendering exercises, which would substantially prejudice their ability to submit competitive tenders and so could significantly harm their commercial business
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open and transparent government, and to help account for the expenditure of public money. However, there is a greater public interest in protecting the commercial interests of companies which tender for and enter into, Scottish Government contracts, to ensure that we are always able to obtain the best value for public money.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Detected exemption language
This includes: First Homes Fund AO spend control First Homes Fund Pre-expenditure assessment First Homes Fund Briefing to Parliament First Homes Fund 100 Days Commitment Submission First Homes Fund Analytics Summary Emails relating to First Homes Fund For your first and second question some of the information you have requested is available from: First Home Fund - quantitative and qualitative analysis: evaluation synthesis - gov.scot First Home Fund Shared Equity Scheme: qualitative evaluation - gov.scot First Home Fund evaluation: quantitative analysis - gov.scot Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some the information you have requested because exemptions under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information), s.29(1)(a) (formulation or development of Scottish Government policy), s.30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice) and s.33(1)(b) (commercial interests) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained below. An exemption under section s.38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested.