Correspondence between Scottish Government and Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) regarding Ramsar Policy: EIR release

Information requested

“On 9 July 2025, the Scottish Government (SG) published an update www.gov.scot/publications/updated-scottish-government-policy-protecting-ramsar-sites/ ("the Updated Ramsar Policy") to its policy for the protection of Ramsar sites.

On 13 August 2025, Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) published a case closure report https://environmentalstandards.scot/our-work/our-investigation-reports/ramsar-site-protection-case-closure-report/ ("the ESS Case Closure Report"). This document indicates, on page 4, that the SG has clarified to ESS some points about the Updated Ramsar Policy which were not explicitly stated in the document published by the SG on 9 July 2025.
This request seeks to put any clarifying correspondence from the SG into the public domain.

Please supply (preferably in pdf format) and publish any written communications (including, but not limited to, letters and emails), dated between 9 July 2025 and 13 August 2025 both inclusive, from the Scottish Government to Environmental Standards Scotland and/or vice versa, referring to any or all of the following:

1. The Updated Ramsar Policy, as defined above

2. Any matter referred to on page 4 of the ESS Case Closure Report, as defined above.

3. Regulations 48, 49 and/or 53 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 ("the Habitats Regulations"), and/or the text of those regulations.

4. Updating the Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) to reflect the Updated Ramsar Policy.”

Response

I have included copies of the information you have requested in Annex B.

On reviewing materials within the scope of your request, an exception has been applied in line with the EIRs. The exception applied can be found in Annex A.

I also wish to highlight that the information provided in Annex B makes reference to a case closure report provided by Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS), namely report IESS.21.011, which you have directly referred to in your request above. 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. In this instance as you have access to a copy of said report via the ESS website I have not included a further copy of this in Annex B.

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 202500483073 -Information released - Annex A and Annex B

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PDF

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204.7 kB