Scottish Government engagement with GFG Alliance regarding Dalzell Steel Plant: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
On the 27th February 2025, in response to an FMQ asked by Willie Rennie about the Dalzell Steel plant, the First Minister responded:
“Obviously, the Government acted in 2016 to ensure that there was not a closure at Dalzell. We endorse Mr Rennie’s points about the importance of securing productive activity there. We are aware of the GFG Alliance’s financial issues. Scrutiny of the issues is being undertaken by ministers—Mr Rennie correctly points out that there are loan-related issues involved. The Government is assiduously engaging to make sure that the interests of the workforce and the financial interests of the Scottish Government are protected at all times.”
Please therefore provide me with:
1. A copy any meeting minutes, external as well as internal correspondence, read out of phone calls or any other documentation from within the last 12 months where the Government has been engaging with Liberty Steel in relation to the Dalzell Steel Plant.
2. A copy of any meeting minutes, external as well as internal correspondence, read out of phone calls or any other documentation from within the last 12 months which relate to the Government being made aware of, or updated on, GFG Alliance’s financial issues, as referenced in the First Minister’s answer.
3. A copy of any meeting minutes and correspondence with Scottish Enterprise about Liberty Steel’s outstanding loan mentioned in the First Ministers’ answers.
Response
Please find attached the response to your request. For clarity some of the information on the documents is out of scope and is therefore redacted. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, certain information has been redacted under s30 (c) s30 (b) (ii), s36(1), s36(2), and s38(1)(b) of FOISA. Further information regarding the exemptions can be found in the annex to this letter.
Some of the information you requested has already been disclosed in response to a previous FOI request and is therefore otherwise available to you under s25 of FOISA. A link to this response can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400420374/
Scottish Enterprise agreed commercial terms for a working capital loan with Liberty Steel in 2017. The loan agreement between Scottish Enterprise, a non-departmental public body operating autonomously from its sponsor (Scottish Government), and Liberty Steel (a private company) is confidential.
About FOI
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG