FOI 26-382 SAS Employee Car Lease Scheme
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 26-382 SAS Employee Car Lease Scheme
- Request Date
- 24 Aug 2026
- Response Date
- 14 Sep 2026
- Information Requested
- The current eligibility criteria used to determine whether an employee qualifies for the lease car scheme.
- Any scoring matrix, points-based assessment tool, weighting system, or evaluation framework used to assess applications.
- Guidance, procedures, or instructions provided to managers, panels, or decision-makers responsible for assessing lease car applications.
- Details of the minimum threshold, score, or criteria required for approval.
- Information on how business mileage requirements are assessed and verified.
- Any documents setting out the governance arrangements for lease car decisions, including approval authorities and escalation processes.
- Copies of any equality impact assessments, business cases, review papers, or consultation documents used when establishing or revising the eligibility criteria.
- Details of any appeals process available to applicants whose lease car applications have been declined.
- Information on any changes made to the eligibility criteria, scoring methodology, or assessment process during the past five years.
- The number of employees enrolled in the lease car scheme, and whether they regularly conduct on-call and 999 response elements to their role.
Where information is exempt from disclosure, please provide the information that can be released and identify the exemption relied upon for any information withheld.
- Response
Q1 - The current eligibility criteria used to determine whether an employee qualifies for the lease car scheme.
Please see the attached document, Car Scheme Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria, which sets out the criteria considered when assessing lease car applications.
Q2 - Any scoring matrix, points-based assessment tool, weighting system, or evaluation framework used to assess applications.
Please see the attached Car Scheme Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria document. This explains the evaluation criteria used by the Capital Programme Governance Group (CPGG) when considering applications. Applications are assessed against the criteria set out in the Eligibility Form using the information provided by the applicant.
Q3 - Guidance, procedures, or instructions provided to managers, panels, or decision-makers responsible for assessing lease car applications.
Please see the attached Car Scheme Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria document.
Q4 - Details of the minimum threshold, score, or criteria required for approval.
The attached document explains that a maximum score of 100% may be awarded. Applications scoring 70% or more are automatically approved. Scores below 70% result in a request for further information, while scores below 50% would normally indicate there is no Service requirement to support the application.
Q5 - Information on how business mileage requirements are assessed and verified.
Business mileage is not a criterion used in the evaluation of lease car applications. The assessment is based on the criteria detailed within the Eligibility Form and supporting guidance.
Q6 - Any documents setting out the governance arrangements for lease car decisions, including approval authorities and escalation processes.
Please see the attached Car Scheme Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria document, which explains that applications are considered by the Capital Programme Governance Group (CPGG) and outlines the appeals process.
Q7 - Copies of any equality impact assessments, business cases, review papers, or consultation documents used when establishing or revising the eligibility criteria.
We hold the following information within the scope of your request:
- Fleet Replacement Programme Business Case. - scottish-ambulance-service-fleet-replacement-full-business-case-2026-2031_public.pdf
- Minutes of the National Vehicle Design & Equipment Group (NVDEG) meeting held on 13 April 2022. (18 persons in attendance including staff side)
- The Eligibility Form developed through the associated Short Life Working Group.
Q8 - Details of any appeals process available to applicants whose lease car applications have been declined.
The attached Car Scheme Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria document explains that applicants may appeal a decision. Appeals are considered by the Director of Finance & Logistics in conjunction with the General Manager, Fleet Services.
Q9 - Information on any changes made to the eligibility criteria, scoring methodology, or assessment process during the past five years.
Please see the attached minutes of the National Vehicle Design & Equipment Group (NVDEG) meeting held on 13 April 2022, which record the endorsement of the evaluation process. The Eligibility Form was subsequently agreed through a stakeholder Short Life Working Group.
Q10 - The number of employees enrolled in the lease car scheme, and whether they regularly conduct on-call and 999 response elements to their role
The Scottish Ambulance Service currently records 174 vehicles under its lease car scheme. Please note that this figure relates to vehicles rather than individual employees.
We do not record information in a way that identifies whether a lease vehicle is associated with on-call duties or 999 emergency response activity. It is for this reason we have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002, as information not held.
- Response Documents
