Total spend on Short-term lets (STL) policy and implementation: FOI release

Information requested

• The total amount spent so far on STL policy and its implementation
• A breakdown of spending so far on STL policy and its implementation
• How many civil servants are working on STL policy and implementation?
• Please break down the pay bands of civil servants working on STL (eg. 4 people on £20,000-£30,000)

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. This is because this information, as requested, is not recorded or held, or is covered by an exemption.

I have addressed each of your questions in turn for ease:

1. The total amount spent so far on STL policy and its implementation

The total recorded spend on STL policy and implementation is £262,000. This figure is the only recorded information on STL policy and implementation spend and the complete figure is likely to be higher, however, as we do not separate our spending by policy, this is all I am able to provide.

2. A breakdown of spending so far on STL policy and its implementation

As stated above, the figure provided constitutes the recorded spend only and the total spend is likely to be higher, however, as we do not separate or record our spending by policy, this is all I am able to provide.

• 2019/20 - total spend of £93,000 on Research
• 2022/23 - total spend on Marketing £129,000
• 2023/24 - total spend up to end of August 2023 on Marketing £40,000

3. How many civil servants are working on STL policy and implementation?

Currently, three civil servants spend 100% of their working time on STL policy and implementation. Other individuals/ teams within the Local Government and Housing Directorate and across Scottish Government contribute to the work of the STL policy. Detail of this information is not held as there is no business need to record staff time spent on different strands of work within their day.

4. Please break down the pay bands of civil servants working on STL (eg. 4 people on £20,000-£30,000

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to the information requested because it is personal data of a third party. Due to the small number of civil servants working full time on STL policy and implementation, information on the breakdown of pay bands 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, as personal data would be identifiable. This exemption 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 exemption.

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