Scottish Environment Business Awards spend: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for the amount spent by the Scottish Government on the Scottish Environment Business Awards, specifically, the amount spent in 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25, as well as whether any funds have been allocated to the Scottish Environment Business Awards in 2025/26 and what these funds were used for every year.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested:

Financial year	Financial Contribution
2020/2021	£11,500
2021/2022	£1000
2022/2023	£10,000
2023/2024	£10,000
2024/2025	£10,000
2025/2026	£0

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The reason why we don't have the information is explained below.

You requested information relating to how the funds allocated for the Scottish Environment Business Awards (also known as the "VIBES" awards) have been spent. The awards are coordinated by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), which is responsible for all operational and administrative decisions relating to the awards. The Scottish Government is one of multiple public sector partners that makes a financial contribution on an annual basis, however, the Scottish Government is not responsible for how funds are spent in the context of the operation of the awards.

You may wish to contact the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency at vibes@sepa.org.uk who may be able to help you.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

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.