Forestry creation schemes: EIR release
Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004
Information requested
1. How much publicly-funded money is available in this financial year for forestry creation schemes in Scotland? How much of this comes from the EU or EU funds?
2. How much public funding is available each year over the next two years for forestry creation schemes in Scotland? Is any of this from the EU or EU funds? If so, how much?
3. How many forestry creation schemes have been submitted in Scotland this year and for each of the previous two years?
4. How many submissions/objections have been raised to forestry creation schemes across Scotland during the consultation period this year and during the consultation period in each of the previous two years? And how many specifically in Aberdeenshire?
5. How many of those submissions/objections have resulted in amendments to the forestry creation schemes across Scotland? And how many specifically in Aberdeenshire?
6. What particular points did the submissions/objections refer to/ what were the contents of the submissions/objections? Please also break this information down specifically into Aberdeenshire?
7. What is the total area of Sitka Spruce contained in forestry creation schemes submitted this year in Scotland? And in each of the previous two years? Please also break this information down specifically into Aberdeenshire?
8. What is the total area of Sitka Spruce given the go-ahead in forestry creation schemes in Scotland this year? And in each of the previous two years? Please also break this information down specifically into Aberdeenshire?
9. How many appeals have been made to amend or overturn the whole or part of forestry creation schemes approved this year in Scotland? And in each of the previous two years? Please also break this information down specifically into Aberdeenshire?
10. How many have of these appeals have succeeded in amending or overturning the whole or part of forestry creation schemes approved this year in Scotland? And in each of the previous two years? Please also break this information down specifically into Aberdeenshire?
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 enclose a copy of some of the information you requested where it is available (Annex 3).
In relation to question 1 and 3 regulation 6(1)(b) (information otherwise accessible) of the EIRs applies to that information as the information is already published. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in Annex 2 to this letter.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide all of the information you have requested to questions 2,4,5,6,7,9 &10 because an exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held) applies to that information. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in Annex 1 to this letter.
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.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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