DSM Firmenich production site funding: EIR release

Information requested

• Could I ask was the £10m investment from the Scottish Taxpayer? (DSM Firmenich receiving £10m to open a production plant in Dalry.)
• I also note Nicola Sturgeon was featuring with her team in 2022 at the sod turning ceremony for the plant back in 2022. Who sanctioned approval of this development?
• There also seems to be some information hidden from public view, such as DSM-Firmenich denying any connection with Bill Gates, only for us to discover Bill Gates has purchased 1m shares in the Company, with the major investor behind the scheme, Black Rock. Is this correct?
• Do you, as acting Cabinet Secretary for Energy & Net Zero, and my constituency SMP, have access to any and all scientific documentation and risk assessments concerning Bovaer? Do you also have access to clinical studies that show 100% that Bovaer provides zero risk to the health of the general public if and when introduced into our food chain, especially milk?

Response

Could I ask was the £10m investment from the Scottish Taxpayer? (DSM Firmenich receiving £10m to open a production plant in Dalry.)

A press release issued by Scottish Enterprise on 09 November 2021 provides further details on the funding provided to DSM Nutritional Products (UK) Limited to support the manufacturing process at the Dalry site Global health & nutrition company DSM chooses Scotland for world-leading methane emissionreduction project | Scottish Enterprise Newsroom

I also note Nicola Sturgeon was featuring with her team in 2022 at the sod turning ceremony for the plant back in 2022. Who sanctioned approval of this development?

Approval for the above funding was ultimately approved by Scottish Enterprise’s Board.

There also seems to be some information hidden from public view, such as DSM-Firmenich denying any connection with Bill Gates, only for us to discover Bill Gates has purchased 1m shares in the Company, with the major investor behind the scheme, Black Rock. Is this correct?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs.

However some of the information you have requested is available from Misinformation about Bovaer® in the UK. Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. 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.

Do you, as acting Cabinet Secretary for Energy & Net Zero, and my constituency SMP, have access to any and all scientific documentation and risk assessments concerning Bovaer? Do you also have access to clinical studies that show 100% that Bovaer provides zero risk to the health of the general public if and when introduced into our food chain, especially milk?

Information on the scientific safety risk assessment was made publicly available within the Food Standards Scotland consultation issued in May 2023 at Consultation on applications for authorisation of second tranche of feed additives - Food Standards Scotland - Citizen Space and for ease of reference the FSA and FSS safety assessment for 3-NOP is also accessible directly at: Safety Assessment: Outcome of assessment of 3 Nitrooxypropanol “3-NOP” as a feed additive for all ruminants for milk production and reproduction, from DSM Nutritional Products. 

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