Impact of NDR revaluation in respect of Aberdeen City: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/02960
Date received: 9 October 2018  
Date responded: 6 November 2018

 

 

What consideration was given by The Scottish Government, prior to 1 April 2017, to the impact of the 2017 Non-Domestic Rates (commonly referred to as Business Rates) Revaluation on (a) Aberdeen City generally and (b) more specifically the impact of the Revaluation to Aberdeen City in light of the 2014 oil and gas energy crash.
 
Response

1. I should state that our interpretation of your request, and specifically ‘consideration’, was to treat this FOI as a request for information concerning any assessment of the impact of NDR revaluation (made prior to 1 April 2017) in respect of Aberdeen City – and, related to this, whether assessment took into account the 2014 oil and gas energy crash. 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 under FOISA that information is exempt. The exemptions that apply are explained below.
 
2. An exemption under section 30(b)(i) of FOISA (free and frank provision of advice) applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice. This exemption recognises the need for officials to have a private space within which to provide free and frank advice to ministers before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view. Disclosing the content of free and frank advice would substantially inhibit the provision of such advice in the future.
 
3. An exemption(s) under section s.38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption applies to data that it is considered to be the personal data of a third party. This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered that the public interest in disclosing the information does not outweigh the public interest in applying the exemption. The reason being that the document in question identifies specific ratepayers properties and their corresponding rateable values.
 
4. The Scottish Government does hold a number of documents that fall within the scope of your request. I have attached it below the information that falls within the scope of your request.