Scotland's renewables and wind power potential: EIR release

Information requested

When and how did the Scottish Government update MSPs on its new renewable energy potential total and evidence to back up this date? As shown here: https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-transparency-row-bury-new-31425029

Response

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 to your request

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

Some of the information you have requested is available from the Scottish Parliament website (link below at 1.). Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

The answer to your question is below.

Scottish Government updated MSPs as follows:

1. Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy wrote to the Convenor of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on 21 September. The letter is available at this link: SG - Gaelic - Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy (parliament.scot)

2. Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy wrote to the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament on 14 November. The information is in the attached document.

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.

FOI 202400396013 - Information Released - Document

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