Alexander Dennis meetings regarding viability/future of factories at Camelon and Larbert: EIR release

Information requested

1. A list of dates and times that either the First Minister or a member of the Scottish Cabinet/a Scottish Minister met with any members of the senior management team of Alexander Dennis to discuss the viability/future of the Alexander Dennis Factories at Camelon or Larbert.

2. A summary of the topics discussed at each of these meetings.

Response

As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

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, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

We have interpreted your question to cover the period from 1 March 2023 to the date of yourcorrespondence, 19 June 2025. I enclose a copy of most the information you requested, below, and in the attached document.

Please note for the period 1st March 2023 and 12th September 2024, we are applying Regulation 6(1)(b) - Information already publicly available, as some of the information you have requested can be found online published in a prior FOI here: Meetings with Alexander Dennis, NFI Group and NFI International Limited: EIR release - gov.scot.

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. Where information is already publicly available, I have provided you with the links to the relevant websites. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the websites listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

For the period after 12 September 2024 to 19 June 2025 (the date of your ask), meetings to discuss the viability/ future of the Alexander Dennis Factories at Camelon or Larbert between the First Minister or a member of the Scottish Cabinet/ Scottish Minister and members of the senior management team of Alexander Dennis, are detailed in the attached document.

A summary of the topics discussed at each of these meetings is included.

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 exceptions under regulations 10(4)(e) (internal communications), 10(5)(e) (substantial prejudice to confidentiality of commercial or industrial information), and 11(2) (personal information) of the EIRs applies to that information. The reasons why these exceptions apply are explained below.

Regulation 11(2) – personal information

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.

Regulation 10(4)(e) – internal communications

An exception under regulation 10(4)(e) of the EIRs (internal communications) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is internal communication about briefing material and advice to Scottish Ministers. This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space within which officials can provide free and frank advice and views to Ministers in briefings or submissions. It is clearly in the public interest that Ministers can properly review officials advice in a private space, and inform Parliament and the public when policy decisions have been made. Premature disclosure of this type of information could lead to a reduction in the comprehensiveness and frankness of such advice and views in the future, which would not be in the public interest.

Regulation 10(5)(e) – substantial prejudice to confidentiality of commercial or industrial information

An exception under Regulation 10(5)(e) - Confidentiality of commercial or industrial information of the EIRs applies to some the information you have requested. This is due to information pertaining to commercially sensitive information related to Alexander Dennis Limited which would be likely to result in harm to a legitimate economic interest if disclosed. It applies to information contained in the release and is indicated in the document where this has been applied. This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is some public interest in release for interest in wider government transparency and interest in engagement between Government and commercial companies. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that the economic interests of companies are not impacted, particularly where information is commercial or economic in nature and which are not in the public domain or have since changed.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

EIR 202500471923 - Information released - Document

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