EIR/202600515524 · FOI/EIR · partially withheld
Contact with GB Energy regarding wave energy innovation funding: EIR release
Information requested
Information held by the Scottish Government regarding communications and meetings between the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (formerly Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy), and her officials, and representatives of the UK Government and Great British Energy (GB Energy). This request specifically concerns the Scottish Government’s position that the UK Government and GB Energy should be leading the commercialisation of emerging pre commercial wave energy technology. I am seeking information recorded in April 2026 relating to the following:
Innovation Funding: All records of engagement (including meetings, correspondence, and briefings) with the UK Government and GB Energy regarding the provision of innovation funding for wave energy technologies. Policy Development: All records of engagement regarding the development of policy for wave energy.
For each of the above, please provide:
The dates on which such engagement took place. The channels used (e.g., formal ministerial meetings, inter-governmental committees, emails, or official letters). The outcomes: Any responses, formal commitments, or agreements received from the UK Government or GB Energy in relation to these discussions. Supporting documentation: Minutes of meetings, briefing notes provided to the Cabinet Secretary, and any submissions or memos exchanged between the Scottish Government and the UK Government or GB Energy officials.
Response
As the information you have requested is ‘environmental information’ for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.
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, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.
I have included copies of the information you have requested in Annex B.
On reviewing materials within the scope of your request, exceptions have been applied in line with the EIRs. These exceptions applied can be found in Annex A.
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
We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA. 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, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes.