Publication - FOI/EIR release

Purchase details and communications regarding Ferguson Marine Limited: FOI release

Published: 15 July 2021
Part of: Business, industry and innovation, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/202100214212
Date received: 16 June 2021
Date responded: 14 July 2021

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Information requested

“To provide all information held, including legal opinion, about the decision by ministers to purchase Ferguson Marine between August 30, 2019 and October 10, 2019. In particular I am seeking details of the rival offers for the shipyard, and what they amounted to. Further, I am seeking communications between the Scottish Government, who were operating the yard under a management agreement and/or the administrators and/or future purchasers in relation to the sale process in the periods quoted above. All the above should include, but is not limited to all internal memorandums, emails and other electronic communications such as What's App.”

Response

I attach copies of information held within the scope of your request.

While our aim is to provide information in full whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because of exemptions under section 36(1) – legal advice, section 33(1)(b) – commercial interests and section 38(1)(b) – personal data of a third party.

The information has been either withheld or redacted and the reasons why the exemptions apply are explained in the Annex 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.