FOI/202500470221 · FOI · partially withheld
Meetings between Scottish Government and housing building firms: FOI release
Information requested
All correspondence and minutes/notes from meetings between the Scottish Government and any housebuilding firms, from the last three months.
Response
I enclose a copy of the information you requested.
Some of the information you have requested is available at https://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk. For ease I have attached a document (DPEA Links) with the appropriate links. 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 we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained below.
An exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. The Scottish Government withholds names (and other personal information) from documents released in response to an FOI request if those names are exempt from disclosure under the provisions set out in FOISA.
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 33(1)(b) – Substantial prejudice to commercial interests of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. Section 33(1)(b) – Substantial prejudice to commercial interests - Information is exempt under section 33(1)(b) if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person. “Person” includes a public authority, company and partnership.
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 some public interest in the correspondence between the Scottish Government and house building firms. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in protecting the commercial interests of a private company.
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
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. 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 an exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained below. An exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. 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.