Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund queries: EIR release

Information requested

Information relating to the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund.

Question 1:

(a) Why has the Grant Agreement between Rock Road and the Scottish Government not been signed?
(b) When is the Grant Agreement expected to be signed?

Question 2:

You state that the ScotZEB scheme is a legacy scheme under Subsidy Control Act, therefore no principles assessment is held. However, the ScotZEB scheme was substantially modified in August 2025 (the Modification) when the further investment of up to £40 million through ScotZeb2 was announced. The modification resulted in a significant increase of 25% to the Scheme’s budget. Accordingly, why was no principles assessment carried out for this modification?

Question 3:

Provide copies of all (a) internal correspondence, including emails, (b) reports (c) minutes of meetings and (d) decisions relating to (i) Scottish Government’s decision to make the Modification and (ii) Scottish Government’s consideration of the potential Subsidy Award to the Rock Road consortium (in both cases limited to the period starting 1 January 2025).

Question 4:

Provide any correspondence with any member of the Rock Road consortium regarding the placing of orders with manufacturers and copies of all discussion minutes and correspondence (including 1 Further £40 million boost for zero emission buses | Transport Scotland Transport Scotland . 2 emails, WhatsApp messages etc.) relating to placing orders with manufacturers (limited to the period starting 1 January 2025).

Question 5:

Please confirm whether or not the Subsidy Award to the Rock Road consortium, when made, will be recorded on the UK subsidy database. Where you cannot provide any of the information requested above, please explain as fully as possible your reasons for refusing to do so.

Response

Question 1:

(a) Why has the Grant Agreement between Rock Road and the Scottish Government not been signed?
(b) When is the Grant Agreement expected to be signed?

Answer: The Scottish Government considered deploying additional funding for the adoption of zero emission buses via a reconsideration of the final stage bid submitted by Rock Road to ScotZEB2 but concluded that approach would not be within the parameters of ScotZEB2. Ministers have therefore authorised a third, competitive phase of the ScotZEB scheme (ScotZEB3) as the fastest and most certain route to accelerate the adoption of new zero emission buses. ScotZEB3 was launched on Friday 5 December. More information can be found online at Scottish Zero Emission Bus challenge fund | Transport Scotland.

Question 2:

You state that the ScotZEB scheme is a legacy scheme under Subsidy Control Act, therefore no principles assessment is held. However, the ScotZEB scheme was substantially modified in August 2025 (the Modification) when the further investment of up to £40 million through ScotZeb2 was announced. The modification resulted in a significant increase of 25% to the Scheme’s budget. Accordingly, why was no principles assessment carried out for this modification?

Answer: The modifications made to the ScotZEB scheme were ‘permitted’ modifications to a legacy scheme by increasing the budget and extending the duration, as allowed via Section 81 of the Act. Statutory Guidance states, “9.9 […] certain modifications defined as ‘permitted modifications’ may be made to a subsidy or scheme without the public authority being required to carry out a further assessment against the subsidy control principles. These will allow public authorities to make a limited range of changes to a subsidy without undue delay.

Question 3:

Provide copies of all (a) internal correspondence, including emails, (b) reports (c) minutes of meetings and (d) decisions relating to (i) Scottish Government’s decision to make the Modification and (ii) Scottish Government’s consideration of the potential Subsidy Award to the Rock Road consortium (in both cases limited to the period starting 1 January 2025).

Answer: This question was withdrawn by the sender on Tuesday 16 December.

Question 4:

Provide any correspondence with any member of the Rock Road consortium regarding the placing of orders with manufacturers and copies of all discussion minutes and correspondence (including 1 Further £40 million boost for zero emission buses | Transport Scotland Transport Scotland . 2 emails, WhatsApp messages etc.) relating to placing orders with manufacturers (limited to the period starting 1 January 2025).

Answer: This question was withdrawn by the sender on Tuesday 16 December.

Question 5:

Please confirm whether or not the Subsidy Award to the Rock Road consortium, when made, will be recorded on the UK subsidy database. Where you cannot provide any of the information requested above, please explain as fully as possible your reasons for refusing to do so.

Answer: Any confirmed awards made under ScotZEB3 which are in excess of the £100k reporting threshold will be published on the national subsidy transparency database as required by the Subsidy Control Act 2022. It is anticipated that any awards under ScotZEB3 will be made in the early spring of 2026.

About FOI

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