Funding of Edinburgh’s tram transport network documentation: EIR release

Information requested

Information recorded by the Scottish Government in the last twenty four months, relating to the funding of Edinburgh’s tram transport network.

This should include copies of documents, correspondence and minutes of meetings with the City of Edinburgh Council and other parties related to the current and future financing of current tram services, the preparation of business cases and future construction work for new tram routes in Edinburgh. The information should include advice and recommendations on funding options for Edinburgh’s trams by the Scottish Government, the City of Edinburgh Council and other parties.

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.

The Scottish Government is not responsible for the running of Edinburgh's tram transport network. This is operated by Edinburgh Trams Limited on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council.

Therefore, you may be able to find further information regarding funding using the contact information below:

Freedom of Information Officer
Transport for Edinburgh
55 Annandale Street
EDINBURGH
EH7 4AZ
foisa@edinburghtrams.com

However, in our efforts to be fully transparent with the public, I have included ‘Document 1’ which mentions the tram network or funding options.

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 an exception under regulation 11(2) (personal information) of the EIRs applies to that information. The reasons why that exception applies are explained in the Annex to this letter below.

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 an exception under regulation 10(4)(d) of the EIRs (unfinished or incomplete information) of the EIRs applies to that information. The reasons why that exception(s) applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

Please note, any information that does not relate to the ask has been deemed ‘out of scope’ and therefore removed.

ANNEX

Reasons for not providing information

An exception applies

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under regulation 11(2) provides that where the information requested includes personal data about a person other than the applicant and disclosure would contravene the data protection principles in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 2018, the public authority shall not make that personal data available.

In this instance, we consider that to reveal whether the information you have requested exists or is held by the Scottish Government would involve making personal information available about employees of the Scottish Government’ or individuals who have corresponded with the Scottish Government in contravention of regulation 11. Therefore, all personal data has been removed or replaced with ‘[redacted]’.

An exception under regulation 10(4)(d) of the EIRs (unfinished or incomplete information) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is a meeting note between Transport Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council which is still to be finalised by both parties.

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 as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and this will be met in the next 4-6 weeks. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that unfinished or incomplete information which is still in being worked on or is under active consideration is not disclosed when it might misinform the public or give a misleading impression of the Government’s view or position on the matter to which the information relates.

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 202500472717 - Information released - Document 1

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PDF

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106.4 kB