Scottish cluster of carbon capture and utilisation (CCUS) sites: EIR release

Information requested

1. Between July 14th and October 14th how many correspondences were made between the Scottish Government, or Scottish Government Ministers, or Scottish Government Cabinet Secretaries, or the Deputy First Minister with BEIS Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng in relation to a Scottish cluster of carbon capture and utilisation (CCUS) sites, based around the St Fergus gas terminal in Aberdeenshire?

2. Between July 14th and October 14th how many correspondences were made between the Scottish Government, or Scottish Government Ministers, or Scottish Government Cabinet Secretaries, or the Deputy First Minister with the Prime Minister or any other UK Government Minister in relation to a Scottish cluster of carbon capture and utilisation (CCUS) sites, based around the St Fergus gas terminal in Aberdeenshire?

Response

Attached is a copy of some of the information requested. 

The answer to your question is that, between July 14th and October 14th, there was one correspondence between the Scottish Government and UK Government Ministers (including BEIS Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng) in relation to a Scottish cluster of CCUS sites, based around the St Fergus terminal in Aberdeenshire.

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to 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.

It is important to note that this correspondence does not reflect all engagement on this matter that has occurred between the Scottish Government and the UK Government. For example, there has been significant correspondence at Ministerial level outside of the timeframe specified in your request. This has included correspondence during consultation on the design of the BEIS CCUS cluster sequencing process, and following the UK Government's announcement of successful Track-1 clusters on 19 October 2021.

The following materials are publicly available and may be of assistance:

• Letter from Michael Matheson MSP to the UK Government published 15 October 2021 - Scottish Cluster: letter to UK government from Michael Matheson MSP - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
• Ministerial Statement from Michael Matheson MSP to the Scottish Parliament on 26 October 2021 regarding the development and deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage - Development and deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage: statement by the Net Zero Secretary - 26 October 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
• Letter from the First Minister to the UK Prime Minister - Scottish Cluster: letter from First Minister to Prime Minister - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

About FOI
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FOI202100262134 - Information released

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