Publication - FOI/EIR release

Heat pumps not supported through Home Energy Scotland grant and loan scheme (s6w-16061): EIR release

Published: 3 January 2024
Directorate: Energy and Climate Change Directorate
Topic: Public sector
FOI reference: 202300351294
Date received: 12 April 2023
Date responded: 16 May 2023

Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

Information requested

1. All Scottish Government correspondence relating to the Scottish Government’s position that air-to-air heat pumps should not be supported through Home Energy Scotland grant and loan schemes, as confirmed in S6W-16061, including discussions between:
(a) Ministers
(b) Officials operating in the Scottish Government or any relevant public body
(c) Advisory groups or bodies
(d) Home Energy Scotland representatives
(e) Any other relevant party.

2. All documentation information relating to the Scottish Government’s decision not to include air-to-air heat pumps in Home Energy Scotland grant and loan schemes:
(a) Evidence compiled or commissioned relating to the inclusion of air-to-air technologies in Scottish Government-backed support schemes
(b) Details of meetings between ministers, officials and other relevant parties relating to the inclusion of air-to-air technologies in Scottish Government-backed support schemes
(c) Details of which Minister/s or other officials ultimately signed off on the decision not to include air-to-air technologies in Scottish Government-backed support schemes.

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.

Response

1. a) I refer you to the submission relating to the Grant and Loan Scheme which was launched in December 2022 and correspondence relating to Ministerial approval.
b) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we also are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under Regulation 10(4) (e) internal communication, applies.
c) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we also are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under Regulation 10(4) (e) internal communication, applies.
d) and e) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we also are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under Regulation 10(4) (e) internal communication, applies.

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 implications. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether discussions on funding 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.

For the purposes of the scope of this request, communications between Scottish Government and the Energy Savings Trust (EST) (Home Energy Scotland representatives) are considered to be internal communications. EST provide delivery development support for the HES scheme through a grant funded service, this entails inclusion in the deliberative process of scheme design before a finalised policy position is reached.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all 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.

2. In line with the commitment within the Bute House Agreement and the Heat in Buildings Strategy, the Home Energy Scotland Loan and Cashback scheme was replaced by the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme in December 2022. This change was primarily focussed on providing a more straightforward, flexible and accessible way to access targeted priority measure. This change did not entail a substantial review and update of the measures supported through the scheme.

It must therefore be noted that, under Regulation 10(4)(a) of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004, some of the information you have requested cannot be made available as it is not held by Scottish Government. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we also are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under Regulation 10(4) (e) internal communication, applies.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.