Applications accepted under the Forestry Grant Scheme: EIR release

Information requested

Thank you for your request dated 2 April 2024 under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs) for:

Now that the 2023-24 financial year has concluded, I am resubmitting the following:

1. In each year since 2018-19, including the current year to date how many applications have been accepted under the Forestry Grant Scheme?

2. 2. In each year since 2018-19, including the current year to date how many applications have been rejected under the Forestry Grant Scheme?

Response

Clearing Financial Year	Number of Cases Accepted	Number of Cases Rejected
2018/2019	613	5
2019/2020	622	3
2020/2021	686	4
2021/2022	553	7
2022/2023	553	2
2023/2024	534	1

Please note that:
• Figures are by financial year (i.e. 1st April – 31st March).

Data are correct as at 23/4/24.

• The Number of Cases Accepted is defined as those cases that have gained Clearing Approval; the date used to classify each case into the year is the clearing round date. Please see the Scottish Forestry website for more information: Scoring criteria and clearing process (ruralpayments.org)
• Cases that are rejected may not reach Clearing Approval stage. For the purposes of this report they have been categorised by submission date and the figures reported for each period may increase over time if additional applications are rejected.
• Where the number of approved cases in historic years has reduced since the previous release, it is due to an application having been withdrawn.
• The Forestry Grant Scheme application process is a consultative and iterative process. SF Case Officers work with applicants to develop applications that meet the scheme requirements, meaning that proposals that do not are typically filtered out or withdrawn prior to formal assessment.

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.