Freedom of Information Request – Peatlands and NW Geopark funding
Date: 09 August 2024
Our ref: SIR176388/A4672072
Information Request – Peatlands and NW Geopark funding
Thank you for your information request, which we received on 22 July 2024. We sought clarification, which we also received on the 22 July. We have considered your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’).
Your Request
Original request
Please also supply the budgets for the following:
- The Peatlands
- The North West Geopark
Clarified request
I mean the area known as the Flow Country.
If there are other areas of Peatlands which NatureScot have funded, please provide a list under FOI and the amount of funding provided.
Both are for the financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.
Our Response
North-West Geopark
We do not hold any information about the budget for the North-West Geopark. NatureScot has not provided any funding to North-West Highlands Geopark Limited during the financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.
Peatlands
Following a search of the information we hold, the amount of funding provided through Peatland Action grants, collated by Scottish local authority, is below.
| Local Authority | Offered 2022/23 | Offered 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire | 68,685.02 | 247,111.45 |
| Angus | 274,562.40 | 36,983.04 |
| Argyll & Bute | 572,048.34 | 906,229.84 |
| Dumfries & Galloway | - | 260,245.65 |
| East Ayrshire | 66,843.64 | - |
| Fife | 25,902.59 | - |
| Highland | 5,319,132.46 | 7,016,503.77 |
| Inverclyde | - | 492,006.48 |
| Midlothian | 48,565.50 | - |
| North Ayrshire | 144,628.03 | 43,195.00 |
| North Lanarkshire | 31,285.00 | - |
| Perth & Kinross | - | 467,246.40 |
| Scottish Borders | 277,055.49 | 201,113.50 |
| Shetland Islands | 103,431.40 | 380,116.18 |
| South Lanarkshire | 63,831.00 | - |
| Various * | 154,468.16 | 31,999.82 |
| Grand Total | 7,150,439.03 | 10,082,751.13 |
*Various includes Scotland-wide funding to Bog Squad and Project Managers.
Further information is also available from our website at Peatland ACTION and Peatland ACTION - Data Research and Monitoring.
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 EIRSs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2022 (‘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 [email protected]
