Scottish Energy Advisory Board minutes: FOI release

Information requested

The last published minutes for the Scottish Energy Advisory Board (link below) are from September 2024. Has the board met since then? If so, why have the minutes not been published? When will they be published?

https://www.gov.scot/groups/scottish-energy-advisory-board/

Response

Since September 2024, the Scottish Energy Advisory Board has met on two occasions – on 4 February 2025 and on 3 November 2025.

The minutes from the Board’s meeting on 4 February 2025 were approved at the 3 November 2025 meeting and were published on the Scottish Government website on 17 December 2025 (Scottish Energy Advisory Board minutes: February 2025 - gov.scot).

Minutes from the 3 November 2025 meeting will be published once finalised in accordance with the Scottish Energy Advisory Board Terms of Reference. This is expected to be following the Board’s next meeting when the November minutes will be approved by members.

An exemption applies

An exemption under section 25(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested because this information is otherwise accessible at Scottish Energy Advisory Board minutes: February 2025 - gov.scot and Scottish Energy Advisory Board: terms of reference - gov.scot. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information as it is available elsewhere.

An exemption applies, subject to the public interest test

An exemption under section s.27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested because we intend to publish that information following the next Scottish Energy Advisory Board meeting on 9 March 2026 which is within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until after this date, rather than release all of this information before the planned publication date.

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. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because this would demonstrate a transparent and open government. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring documents are in final agreed form before publication, particularly as the intended date of publication is within 12 weeks of the request.

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.