Freedom of Information Request - Glen Affric Beaver re-introduction
Date: 06 May 2025
Our ref: SIR179744/A5116882
Information Request – Glen Affric Beaver re-introduction
Your Request
'NatureScot was reported yesterday saying that it had delayed granting a licence to Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) to release beavers in Glen Affric because of "considerable concern about the proposal among the local community and its representatives”.
Please could NatureScot provides copies of any unpublished correspondence, emails, memos, reports or other recorded information relating to the concern about the proposal among the local community and its representatives since the licence application was made by FLS on 13 December 2024?'
Our Response
We have discussed your request with relevant staff, and several documents have been found that meet the terms of your request. Copies of these documents are attached separately to this response.
We have redacted out personal data and applied the exemption 11(2)(Personal Data) under the EIRs, as to release this into the public domain in response to a request under the access to information legislation would breach the Data Protection Act 2018.
We have withheld an internal document in its entirety. Disclosure of this information at this time would hinder NatureScot staff in their ability to discuss and develop their rationale internally if there was an expectation that all such information would always be made publicly available. On balance, we have concluded that there is a greater public interest in withholding this information, thus allowing NatureScot staff a private discussion space to develop and discuss advice internally, prior to a formal position or final decision being reached. We are therefore withholding the information under the EIRS, exemption 10(4)(e)(Internal Communications) and we maintain that, on this occasion, it is in the public interest to do so.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
Document downloads
Due to accessibility issues the attached information, referenced above, is available on request by contacting the FOI team at [email protected]. Please reference the case number (starting with SIR).
