Correspondence relating to 50,000 affordable homes target: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
From 1 October 2020 to present:
Copies of briefings prepared by civil servants regarding the 50,000 affordable homes target.
Response
Some of the information you have requested is already publicly available.
https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12916&i=0&c=0&s=S5O-04713S5W-33034 | Scottish Parliament Beta Website
Affordable Housing Supply Annual Out-turn Reports - https://www.gov.scot/policies/morehomes/affordable-housing-supply/
The scottish Government publishes Quarterly Housing Statistics which include figures relating to units approved, started and completed through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration.
The latest set of statistics covering progress to end September 2020 was published on 15 December 2020. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. The briefing which forms this release was all prepared prior to the latest publication so figures may vary as some will refer to the previous quarterly total and some will refer to the total to September. The totals may also vary with the published statistics as updates could have been made prior to publication of the statistics.
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 exemptions under section 30(b)(ii) applies. An exemption under section s.30(b)(ii) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption relates to the provision of the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation.
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 release because the 50,000 affordable homes target is in the public domain.
However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that there can be a free and frank exchange of views in relation to estimated forecast figures. Forecast figures are updated regularly and do not constitute a target. True progress against the target can only be measured using published Official Statistics.
Some names have been redacted as exemption under Section 38(1)(b) of the FOI (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) applies. Other information was redacted as it was out with the scope of your enquiry.
The information attached in Annex A-E was provided to Scottish Ministers.
About FOI
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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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