Transport Scotland proposed free bus travel scheme: FOI release

Information requested

1. Did Transport Scotland carry out any analysis of the expected uptake of the proposed free bus travel scheme for asylum seekers scheme? If so could this please be shared with as much detail as possible?

2. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between members of the Transport Scotland senior management Team regarding the free bus travel scheme for asylum seekers scheme. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between members of the Transport Scotland senior management Team. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 October 2023 and 31 August 2024 inclusive.

3. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between members of the Transport Scotland senior management Team and the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Transport (formerly the Minister of Transport) regarding the free bus travel scheme for asylum seekers scheme. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between members of the Transport Scotland senior management Team. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 October 2023 and 31 August 2024 inclusive.

Response

The answer to the first part of your question is that around a third of people seeking asylum in Scotland are thought to already be eligible for free bus travel for the existing National Concessionary Travel Schemes through age or disability criteria.

The £2 million pilot scheme was intended to provide evidence on nationwide delivery, costs and demand and to inform future progression of policy. The pilot scheme was based on an estimate of 3,900 eligible individuals, however this estimate is uncertain and subject to change due to UK Government dispersal policies. It was anticipated that through the pilot journey tickets or weekly tickets would be available per eligible person over a set period of time to provide support with travel. It was anticipated that the pilot would run for six months with potential to be extended based on actual uptake, running and evaluation costs until the funding was disbursed.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested for parts two and three would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. The number of emails within the eleven month period requested would be to voluminous to review within the upper cost limit.. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.

You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. You may, however wish to consider reducing the scope of your requests in order that the costs can be brought below £600. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.