Information regarding grant awarded to Scottish Rugby Union: FOI release

Information requested

The grant to the Scottish Rugby Union of up to £15 million offered by letter dated 20 January 2021 from the Active Scotland Division of the Scottish Government's Population Health Directorate was conditional and contained certain feedback and reporting requirements, in light of which I request the following information under FOISA regulations:

1. Was the whole of the grant that was offered paid over / drawn down, in accordance with Section 2 in the Offer? If so, on what date(s)?

2. Has the Statement of Compliance as described at Section 3.2 in the Offer been duly and timeously submitted, as required?

3. Have the terms of Section 3.3 (expenses reasonably and properly incurred, etc.) in the Offer been fully satisfied?

4. Have the terms of Section 4.1 (monthly progress reports, etc.) in the Offer been fully satisfied?

5. Please send me copies of the above-mentioned (Section 4.1) monthly reports together with, when available, a copy of the concluding report required in terms of Section 4.3 in the Offer ("The Grantee shall, on completion of the Project, submit a report to the Scottish Ministers summarising the outcomes and performance of the Project. Such a report shall include such statistical and other information relating to the impact of the Project as shall be required by the Scottish Ministers.").

Response

The Scottish Government and Scottish Rugby have had frequent informal discussion over the period of the Grant term to ensure correct use of the funding provided to support jobs and infrastructure. The Scottish Government has been satisfied that the funding has been used for its intended purpose. I can confirm the Statement of Compliance has been received.

Information provided by Scottish Rugby on spend is as follows. Up to Scottish Rugby's financial year end of 30 May 2021, the £13.5m grant spending is disclosed in Scottish Rugby's 2020/21 Annual Report. The remaining £1.5m is being spent in this current year via two very specific funds, as outlined in Scottish Rugby's Strategic Plan - The Club Recovery Fund designed to help Clubs recover from the pandemic and the Return to Rugby fund designed to support the replaying of rugby after a prolonged absence and attract players and volunteers back to the game. As of 31 October 2021 £0.7m of the £1.0m set aside for the Return to Rugby Fund had been spent and almost all of the Club Recovery Fund had also been utilised.

The Scottish Government and Scottish Rugby will continue to engage and receive further details of the remaining funding. A report produced by Scottish Rugby on the use of the funding has been included in Scottish Rugby's Annual Report which has been published. Please find a copy here where the Government funding report is included on pages 44-46. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.

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