Costs associated with the Small Vessel Replacement Programme: FOI release

Information requested

This FOI request relates to the seven ferries to be built in Poland as part of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

1. Can you tell me what discussions there has been with CMAL in relation to the price of the project and whether there was any advice about budget from the Scottish Government and what that budget as far s the Scottish Government is concerned was.
2. Requesting copies of all correspondence/paperwork/communications sent to or from any member of the Scottish Government to any member of CMAL in relation to plans to deliver these ferries since November, 2023.

NOTE: Please ensure in answers to 2. that the search for correspondence/paperwork/communications includes email correspondence (including attachments), electronic communications including What's App and also.

II. Memos

III. Reports

IV. Briefing documents or the equivalent

V. Letters

VI. Telephone records and any notes made during and after telephone calls

VII. Correspondence includes any other type of correspondence frequently used including text messages and private emails

VIII. Correspondence/audio that is stored on cloud services

IX. Any tender or contract documents, including Invitations to Tender, or any associated documents that lay out how contracts will be judged.

Response

I enclose a response to part one of the request as detailed below.

"Can you tell me what discussions there has been with CMAL in relation to the price of the project and whether there was any advice about budget from the Scottish Government and what that budget as far s the Scottish Government is concerned was."

The capital investment and revenue costs associated with the Small Vessel Replacement Programme are included within the figures submitted by Transport Scotland for consideration as part of the Budgeting and Capital Spending Review processes. Ongoing resource costs will be part of future Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service funding. The contract for the vessels was signed on 28 March 2025. Please see attached detail within release, SVRP: Contract Signed for Small Vessels

With regards the second part of your request,

"Requesting copies of all correspondence/paperwork/communications sent to or from any member of the Scottish Government to any member of CMAL in relation to plans to deliver these ferries since November, 2023."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. This is due to the number of documents which may potentially be in-scope of the request. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.

You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. You may wish to specify a particular subject or item or narrow the timeframe for which information is requested. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.

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.