Covid loan payments owed by Scottish football clubs: FOI release

Information requested

Most updated information on covid loans payments and amounts still to pay by Scottish football clubs.

The most updated only covers up to August 2023. Can you also include any information on clubs who have failed to meet any of the strict criteria under which the loans were given, such as those on delivery of quarterly financial reports and directors pay and bonuses, and on any clubs who have missed payments?

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the table below.

Club	Repaid to date	Outstanding Loan to date
Aberdeen	£311,899.92	£2,807,100.08
Dundee Utd	£152,641.71	£2,665,358.29
Hamilton Academical	£20,000.00	£1,131,000.00
Hibernian	£288,199.92	£2,593,800.08
Kilmarnock	£182,800.08	£1,645,199.92
Livingston	£89,150.00	£1,693,850.00
Motherwell	£295,900.08	£2,663,099.92
Rangers	£319,999.92	£2,880,000.08
Ross County	£115,800.00	£1,042,200.00
St. Johnstone	£238,333.26	£2,361,666.74
St. Mirren	£88,200.00	£1,675,800.00

An exemption under section s.33(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some the information that you have requested in that disclosure would (or would be likely to) prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person or organisation. The release of information provided to the Scottish Government indicating that a club could soon experience financial difficulties is likely to be interpreted by connected stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, and lenders, as a comment on the club’s financial sustainability and ability to meet its financial obligations as they come due. It is therefore likely to affect those stakeholders’ willingness to extend credit to the club or continue a business relationship with it. As such, the release of the specifics of clubs’ engagement with the Scottish Government is likely to prejudice that club’s commercial interests and is withheld under s.33(1)(b) of FOISA.

However, it is possible to confirm that as of writing today the level of engagement by all recipients of this loan scheme is considered to be satisfactory. The Scottish Government has the right to renegotiate the terms of the loan agreements with clubs, including changes to the timing or amounts of repayments to offer flexibility where deemed appropriate. Renegotiated terms have been agreed with Dundee Utd, Hamilton, Livingston and St Mirren.

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. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because of the position that the clubs hold to the public. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in maintaining the commercial interests of loan recipients where confirmation that the loan repayments are being managed by the Scottish Government can be provided without disclosure.

About FOI

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