Private Finance Initiative contracts and repayments: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/17/02178
Date received: 26 September 2017
Date responded: 24 October 2017

Information requested

1. The cost of PFI repayments across the whole of the public sector in Scotland for each from 2006/7;
2. Instances of when the Scottish Government has made early payments to end a PFI contract early or take it into public ownership;
3. When the last PFI repayment will occur in Scotland provided no new contracts are signed;
4. Whether any PFI contracts were signed from the May 2007 election
5. The total cost of a public buyout of all outstanding PFI contracts; and
6. The total [PFI] payments outstanding.

Response

In relation to point 1, 3, 4 and 6, most of that information you have requested is available from the Scottish Government website at the following address SG Finance. Information on current PFI projects can be filtered to identify projects which fall within the Scottish Government's overall responsibility. This website also includes a link to information on those PFI contracts which have reached the end of their contract period.

Under section 25(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, 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.

In response to point 2, Four operational PFI contracts in Scotland have been terminated since the inception of PFI:

• The Skye Toll Bridge between Kyle & Kyleakin which was opened in 1995 and bought out in December 2004. The PFI project had a capital value of £23.6 million with the procuring body being the then Scottish Office.

• Inverness Airport Terminal was opened in 1999 and bought out in January 2006. The PFI project had a capital value of £9.5 million with the procuring agency being Highlands & Islands Airports Limited.

• West Lothian College moved in 2001 from outdated premises in Bathgate to a brand new campus in Livingston. The project had a capital value of £15 million with the procuring agency being West Lothian College. A decision to terminate the PFI contract was announced by the college on 2 April 2007.

• Stirling Further Education Centre which was opened in Stirling in 1998 a capital value of £3.6 million. A decision to terminate the PFI contract was announced by Scottish Funding Council in January 2011 that this college PFI contract had been terminated.

Reasons for not providing information

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information the information you have requested for point 5. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for in relation to the cost of buying out all PFI contracts because these contracts are between the PFI contractor and the relevant procuring authority, and for that procuring authority to manage including assessment of the cost to buyout the PFI contract.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

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