Mr Adrian Taylor
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Our Ref: SIR150305/A2651560
15 June 2018
Dear Mr Taylor
Information Request – Strathbraan Licence Thank you for your information request, which we received on 23 April. We have considered
your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’).
Your Request
“Please can you provide me with the content of all e-mails, phone calls and letters
between SNH and other people / organisations relating to the decision to grant a
licence to Strathbraan Community Collaboration for Waders (SCCW) to cull 300
Ravens in Perthshire over a 5 year period. Can you also provide the evidence the
scientific evidence which led you to making this decision.”
Our Response
We have carried out a detailed search of the information we hold, and copies of all the
relevant documents are available at: https://www.nature.scot/strathbraan-licence-information-
released.
The information includes the licence application, the licence application assessment, the
issued licence and all the relevant internal and external correspondence.
Some parts of the documents provided have been marked out (redacted). The reasons for
this are:
We have marked out (redacted) some parts of the documents where they contain
personal data.
Releasing the personal data into the public domain in response to an access to
information request would breach the Data Protection Act 1998. We are therefore
withholding the information under EIRs Regulation 11(2) (Personal data).
We have redacted some information that was provided to us voluntarily and in
confidence. There are no other circumstances that entitle SNH to disclose this
information, and the correspondent has not consented to its disclosure. Making the
information publicly available would be likely to substantially prejudice the interests of
the correspondent. We are therefore withholding the information under EIRs
Regulation 10(5)(f) (Interests of the individual providing the information).
Scottish Natural Heritage, Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW
Tel 01738 444177 Fax 01738 458611 www.nature.scot
We have concluded that, in this case, the public interest in making the information
available is outweighed by the public interest in withholding it and maintaining the
confidence in which the information was provided.
We have redacted a small amount of information in the documents that falls out-with
the scope of your request.
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 requests 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:
http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.aspx?lID=5487&sID=5024.
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
xxx@xxx.xxx.xx. 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. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Online appeal service: www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal
Website: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
Rhoda Davidson
Rhoda Davidson
Information Officer
xxx@xxx.xxx.xx
2
A2651560