Freedom of Information Request - NatureScot Reporter Enquiry - Proposed Galloway National Park Consultation
Date: 20 March 2025
Our ref: SIR179158/A5019197
Information Request – NatureScot Reporter Enquiry - Proposed Galloway National Park Consultation
Your Request
Further to my previous request for information on various aspects of the Reporter enquiry into the proposed Galloway national Park (your response dated 12 December 2024, ref: SIR177950/A4859024) I wish to request more details of the 'consultancy – independent review' of the consultation process. I note from a recent comment on your Facebook page that you have now commissioned this 'independent review' and would therefore be grateful if you would provide details of this contract including details of what has been commissioned, from whom and the costs involved.
I understand from your previous response that in addition to this review of the process you are also commissioning 'consultancy – analysis support.' I assume that as the consultation has now closed this contract will also have been commissioned, so I would be grateful if you would supply similar details for that contract. I have asked on a number of occasions for details of your methodology for data analysis and have been informed that this is a 'work in progress.' I would therefore be very interested to have details of the consultancy support you have commissioned for this.
I have looked for details of both contracts on Public Contracts Scotland and been unable to find details there.
Our Response
Following a search of the information we hold our response is attached separately.
We have commissioned the Scottish Community Development Centre to undertake an independent review of the National Park reporter engagement and consultation.
For the analysis work, we have commissioned Progressive Partnership to help us with several aspects including quantitative analysis and data integrity. We will provide our final methodology on the consultation analysis alongside our advice to Minsters. Scottish Government will publish the advice and related material in due course.
Neither of these contracts appear on the Public Contracts Scotland website. Given their role as champions for the national standards, we considered SCDC were uniquely qualified for this review, and we commissioned them through our single tender rules. Progressive Partnership is already on the Scottish Government’s procurement framework specifically for this sort of support work so also did not require a full tender exercise.
We have redacted some information about pricing and methodology under EIRs Regulation 10(5)(e) (Confidentiality of commercial information). There is a strong public interest in openness and transparency, particularly with reference to accountability for spending public money. However, on balance, commercial interests should not unduly prejudiced by the release of commercially sensitive information.
We have also redacted personal data from the documents because releasing personal data into the public domain in response to an access to information request would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We are therefore withholding the information under 11(2) (Personal Data) of the EIRs.
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).
