Housing shortages, targets and delays in delivery information: EIR release
Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Information requested
1) Internal communications, briefing notes or guidance relating to how housing shortages, housing targets, or delays in delivery should be presented or communicated publicly.
2) Any records discussing media handling, messaging, or reputational risks relating to housing supply or development delays.
From the period 1 January 2023 to present (19 March 2026).
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.
I enclose a copy of the information you requested, outlined in the document list table at Annex A.
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(s) under the regulation(s) applies:
1) Regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs (information already publicly available)
Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs (information already publicly available), we do not have to provide you information which is already publicly available.
This has been applied where attached statistical publications are mentioned, these publications can be found here on the Scottish Governments website: https://www.gov.scot/collections/housing-statistics/
2) Regulation 10(4)(e) of the EIRs (Internal communication)
An exception under regulation 10(4)(e) of the EIRs (internal communications) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is internal communication between Scottish Government Ministers and/or officials about Housing policy.
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 to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and decisions. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to debate those rigorously, to fully understand their possible implications. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether the discussions on Housing policy will be disclosed in the near future, when it may undermine or constrain the Government’s view on that policy while it is still under discussion and development.
3) Regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (Personal information)
An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.
Annex A:
Document list
|
Part 1 |
|
|
Item |
Extracted information description |
|
1 |
Briefing Minister for Housing - STV interview on housing and homelessness statistics |
|
2 |
Briefing - Site Visit North Lanarkshire Council |
|
3 |
Extracts of briefing - MEDIA BID - Housing Minister for GMS on Housing stats |
|
4 |
Briefing - MEDIA PACK – quarterly housing statistics |
|
5 |
Briefing – CIH Scotland Housing Festival |
|
6 |
Briefing – Cabinet Secretary for Housing - Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations (GWSF) Introductory Meeting |
|
7 |
CIH Scotland Housing Festival - Briefing pack and speech |
|
8 |
Briefing for Homes for Scotland SME Members |
|
9 |
Inside Housing interview - 5 Feb - updated briefing |
|
Part 2 |
|
|
1 |
Briefing for the Scottish Labour Party Debate |
|
2 |
Tackling Child Poverty Ministerial Oversight Group: 20th March at 12:45 – 13:30 - Agenda, Papers and Background |
|
3 |
Meeting between the Cabinet Secretary and the CEO of Crosswind Developments Limited briefing |
|
4 |
Minister for housing with Scottish Cities Alliance briefing |
|
5 |
Cabinet secretary and Scottish Federation of housing associations briefing February |
|
6 |
Cabinet secretary and Scottish Federation of housing associations briefing March |
|
7 |
Briefing for 28 February Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee |
|
8 |
Briefing for meeting with SFHA on Wednesday 25 October 2023 |
|
9 |
Briefing for Scotland's Housing Festival 2023 |
|
10 |
Briefing for Scottish Labour Party Debate: Housing |
|
11 |
Introductory meeting with Federation of Master Builders (FMB) briefing |
|
12 |
Briefing for international housing partnership annual leadership exchange |
|
13 |
Ministerial Briefing - Ms Robison Keynote at CIH Scotland Housing Festival, 8 March 2023 email exchange |
|
14 |
Briefing for the Scottish Labour Party Debate |
|
15 |
Briefing for the Scottish Federation of Housing Assocations development conference |
|
Part 3 |
|
|
1 |
Note of meeting between the Minister for Housing and officials to discuss Housing Statistics and the Scottish Housing Market Review |
|
2 |
Emails relating to a media enquiry - Inside Housing - SFHA comments on affordable homes target |
|
3 |
Emails relating to the Herald media enquiry |
|
4 |
Emails relating to the Scotsman media enquiry |
|
5 |
Emails relating to pre-release of housebuilding data |
|
6 |
Emails relating to pre-release of housebuilding data |
|
7 |
Emails relating to pre-release of housebuilding data september 2023 |
|
8 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data December 2023 |
|
9 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data march 2024 |
|
10 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data June 2024 |
|
11 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding September 2024 |
|
12 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data December 2023 |
|
13 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data March 2025 |
|
14 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data June 2025 |
|
15 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data September 2025 |
|
16 |
Ministerial briefing relating housebuilding data December 2025 |
|
17 |
Emails relating to social media content relating to housebuilding data |
|
18 |
Emails relating to lines to take relating to housebuilding data |
|
19 |
Emails relating to lines to take relating to affordable housing statistics |
|
20 |
Emails relating to housing statistics proactive statement |
|
21 |
Emails relating to lines to take relating to affordable housing statistics |
|
22 |
Ministerial briefing relating to annual housing statistics |
|
23 |
Ministerial briefing relating to annual housing statistics |
|
Part 4 |
|
|
1 |
Extract of the communications plan for the Housing (Scotland) bill |
|
2 |
Email exchange relating to a media lines on private sector reform and housing shortages |
|
Part 5 |
|
|
1 |
Media lines 2024/25 |
|
2 |
Media lines 2025/26 |
|
3 |
Email chain relating to First Ministers priorities |
|
4 |
Email chain relating to lines to clear relating to Homes for Scotland release |
|
5 |
Email chain relating to media query relating to Homes for Scotland release |
|
6 |
Email chain relating to media query relating to NPF4 guild homes |
|
7 |
Email chain relating to media query relating to NPF4 guild homes |
|
8 |
Email chain relating to stalled sites short life working group |
|
9 |
Email chain relating to media query relating to challenges to delivering new homes |
|
10 |
Email chain relating to media query relating to challenges to delivery new homes special advisor views |
|
11 |
Email chain relating to Scottish Planner 200th Bumper issue |
|
12 |
Email chain relating to stalled sites blog |
|
13 |
Email chain relating to Owen Wyatt interview |
|
14 |
Email chain relating to input needed on housing need |
|
15 |
Email chain relating to clearance needed on lines relating to housing need |
|
16 |
Email chain relating to media lines relating to housing need |
|
17 |
Email chain relating to a parliamentary question |
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.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG