Scotland's offshore wind route map: EIR release

Information requested

On 28th September 2010, the Scottish Government published Scotland's offshore wind route map: developing Scotland's offshore wind industry to 2020.

The first line of the Executive Summary reads: “Scotland has an estimated 25% of Europe‟s offshore wind potential.”

Please provide all internal Scottish Government (including Ministers, Civil Servants, and Special Advisers) discussion on the justification for using the 25% figure in that report. Please restrict search to dates between 1st January 2010 and 28th September 2010.

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

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the format you asked for. An exception under regulation s.11(2) personal information of the EIRs applies to the information you have requested and included the exemption of personal data of a third party.

This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception.

Please find attached:

• Agenda items from on or after 01/01/2010 and on of before 28/09/2010
• Minutes of any meetings from on or after 01/01/2010 and on of before 28/09/2010
• Submission to minister from on or after 01/01/2010 and on of before 28/09/2010.

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.

202200329849_redacted_documents

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25 page PDF

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