Scottish Government FOI Index

22,874releases indexed

40,876attachments found

29.5avg calendar days

8,493partially withheld

2016-06-13oldest in sample

2026-10-28newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 8,493 unclear 7,447 not held 3,283 released 1,596 already published 712 cost limit 634 clarification 376 withheld 250 transferred 83

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 5215 s.20 4475 s.34(1) 3779 s.39(2) 3631 s.30 3032 s.17(1) 2975 s.25(1) 2550 s.10(4) 2085 s.11(2) 1634 s.29(1) 1244 s.2 1242 s.3 977

Timeline

2026-10 227 2026-09 8 2026-08 299 2026-07 476 2026-06 1 2026-05 410 2026-04 312 2026-03 217

Directorate Profiles

Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate 1,334 releases · 27.8 avg days Marine Directorate 990 releases · 29.7 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 969 releases · 30.8 avg days Learning Directorate 871 releases · 34.3 avg days Economic Development Directorate 741 releases · 39.6 avg days Constitution Directorate 710 releases · 35.8 avg days Population Health Directorate 676 releases · 28.6 avg days People Directorate 663 releases · 25.5 avg days

Clear

536 matching releases

Date for implementation of 40% office attendance policy: FOI release

My query relates to the '40% attendance in the office' policy for core Scottish Government staff that was recently announced. It is stated this policy is to be in place from October. 1. Can you please confirm the exact date of implementation? 2. Can you confirm whether the implementation date will now be delayed due ...

FOI unclear 50 score 9 working days correspondence spending

Published: 2025-09-03
Reference: FOI/202500477661
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Scottish Government writing style guide list of words to avoid: FOI release

You asked for ‘A list of banned words as referred to in the attached style guide as “words to avoid”.’

FOI unclear 80 score 13 working days correspondence s.25(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-08-07
Reference: FOI/202500473284
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Special Advisers and ChatGPT documentation: FOI release

Any recorded transcripts, logs, outputs, or other documentation of interactions between Scottish Government Special Advisers and ChatGPT or any other large language model (LLM) from January 1, 2025, to June 18, 2025. This includes any saved chats, screenshots, exported files, or other relevant records held by the Scot...

FOI unclear 80 score 18 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.2 s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-08-06
Reference: FOI/202500471620
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government spend on social media advertising: FOI release

The amount of money the Scottish Government spent on social media advertising in 2024-2025. Can you please break this down by platform type (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and LinkedIn).

FOI unclear 50 score 10 working days correspondence spending

Published: 2025-08-05
Reference: FOI/202500472439
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government building renovations: FOI release

Please provide the total amount that the Scottish Government has spent on renovations and interior decorations to the offices of Scottish Ministers in St Andrews House, Victoria Quay, and Atlantic Quay, broken down into a table to list the offices of each minister and to cover every financial year from 2021-22 to date.

FOI unclear 55 score 17 working days correspondence ministers spending s.17 s.17(1)

Published: 2025-08-05
Reference: FOI/202500461363
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Building, planning and design, Public sector

Social media management and social listening platform queries: FOI release

1) Do you use a social media management platform? 2) If so, what tools do you use? 3) What is your annual spend on a Social media management tool? 4) What dates does your contract with your current supplier end (in the format of [month/year])? 5) Do you use a social listening / media monitoring platform? 6) If so,...

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence contracts spending

Published: 2025-08-05
Reference: FOI/202500470298
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Full fiscal autonomy policy: FOI Review

Original request 202500459071 You noted that, "[i]n a letter to the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee, dated 16th January 2025, Shona Robison said this: “Within the current constitutional settlement, full fiscal autonomy would be the Scottish Government's preferred option.” Full fiscal autonomy within the cu...

FOI unclear 50 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence spending

Published: 2025-07-28
Reference: FOI/202500463873 Review of 202500459071
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Parliamentary Liaison Officers information: FOI release

1. A list of MSPs who have served as Parliamentary Liaison Officers from 8 May 2024 to date - including the dates they ceased holding this office, if this applies, and the Minister they worked with. 2. Any instances of Parliamentary Liaison Officers claiming expenses or allowances in order to carry out their duties fr...

FOI unclear 50 score 9 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-07-17
Reference: FOI/202500464171
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government Media Monitoring Unit annual outturn: FOI release

Please provide, from 2016-17 to present, the Scottish Government’s annual outturn on its Media Monitoring Unit. For years where you do not have outturn figures, please indicate this, and provide estimates and/or budgeted spend. If this unit has a budget for 2025-26, please provide this. Please break down these outturn ...

FOI unclear 80 score 27 working days over deadline correspondence ministers contracts spending s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-07-17
Reference: FOI/202500460129
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Minister for Public Health and Women's Health's diary engagements: FOI release

1. A copy of the diary for the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health, Jenni Minto MSP, for Monday 28th April 2025, including but not limited to all meetings, engagements and any other commitments. 2. How much time Ms Minto spent at 'Holyrood Dog of the Year 2025' on Monday 28th April 2025, including travel tim...

FOI unclear 55 score 6 working days correspondence ministers meetings s.2 s.17(1)

Published: 2025-07-17
Reference: FOI/202500463649
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Constitutional role of Scottish Government in the operation of the Lord Lieutenants in Scotland: FOI release

The Scotland Act 1998 does not cover the operation of Lord-Lieutenants. They are directly responsible to the Monarch. Therefore, without a constitutional role why is the Scottish Government involved at all in the activities of the Lord-Lieutenants?

FOI unclear 50 score 14 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-07-07
Reference: FOI/202500459160
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Scottish Government website publication breakdown: FOI release

The Scottish Government’s Publications site lists distinct (https://www.gov.scot/publications/) items – ten per page. These items are by default sorted in chronological order from newest to oldest, and results can be filtered by categories ‘Content Type’, ‘Topic’, and date of most recent update. Please provide the fol...

FOI unclear 55 score 8 working days correspondence s.25(1)

Published: 2025-07-07
Reference: FOI/202500459264
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Breakdown of paid media spend on Twitter/X and LinkedIn: FOI release

The total spend on services provided by X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn for each of the calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date. Please provide a breakdown of what the money was spent on.

FOI unclear 50 score 18 working days correspondence spending

Published: 2025-07-07
Reference: FOI/202500465435
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills participation in meetings: FOI release

This is a follow up request to a previous FOI response, ref: 202500464400 The above referenced FOI response provided Jenny Gilruth’s diary of government business for 24th April 2025. For each of the listed meetings, please indicate whether Jenny Gilruth participated in person, or virtually. For all meetings where she...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence ministers meetings

Published: 2025-07-01
Reference: FOI/202500468568
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Total annual expenditure on hospitality by the Scottish Government: FOI release

I would like to request the following information regarding hospitality spending by the Scottish Government and its quangos over the last five financial years (2019-20 to 2023-24): 1. The total annual expenditure on hospitality, including but not limited to: Official receptions and networking events Catering for meet...

FOI unclear 55 score 46 working days over deadline correspondence meetings spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-06-26
Reference: FOI/202500451959
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

First Minister travel costs for Orkney and London trips: FOI release

Could you supply full costs of travel for John Swinney's trips to Orkney and London in February, and full costs of travel and method for any civil servants/spads who travelled with him?

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending

Published: 2025-06-24
Reference: FOI/202500455966
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Transport

Cost of running the Public Attitudes Survey for Scotland: FOI release

The full costs of running the Public Attitudes Survey for Scotland in the last five years, with a full breakdown per year and what the money was spent on.

FOI unclear 50 score 16 working days correspondence contracts spending

Published: 2025-05-08
Reference: FOI/202500455787
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Information related to WhatsApp messages: FOI Appeal

Request 202100255908 For the entire month of March, 2021 (inclusive), any WhatsApp or text messages sent or received by any cabinet secretary of the time on government business. Request 202100255912 For the month of August 2021, any WhatsApp messages or text messages sent or received by any government minister on go...

FOI unclear 80 score 32 working days over deadline correspondence ministers whatsapp s.28(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-05-02
Reference: FOI Appeal of 202100255908 / 202100255912
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Statistics of media staff employed by the Scottish Government: FOI release

1. The total number of staff employed by the department with the words "media", "communications", or "press" in their job title as of 01 February 2024. The total salary costs of those staff. 2. The total number of staff employed by the department with the words "media", "communications", or "press" in their job title ...

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence spending

Published: 2025-05-01
Reference: FOI/202500454583
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Free tickets for shows at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium: FOI release

Please provide me with a list of Scottish Government Ministers who received complimentary or free tickets for shows at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium from the start of 2024 to date. Please list events by date, including the name of the event, the number of free/complimentary tickets, as well as names and titles ...

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-04-22
Reference: FOI/202500454100
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Arts, culture and sport, Public sector

Complimentary tickets for shows at the OVO Hydro in 2024: FOI release

Please provide me with a list of Scottish Government Ministers who received complimentary or free tickets for shows at the OVO Hydro in 2024. Please list events by date, including the name of the event, the number of free/complimentary tickets, as well as names of those who received them.

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-04-22
Reference: FOI/202500454101
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Brand Scotland "American Friends" advert costs: FOI release

1) The cost of production of the #BrandScotland "American Friends" advert published on or around 4th Feb 2025 (e.g. https://bsky.app/profile/angusrobertson.bsky.social/post/3lhdlnpyzxy2v) 2) The marketing spend for that advert directed at audiences within the United States of America. 3) The marketing spend for that ...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence spending

Published: 2025-03-27
Reference: FOI/202500452234
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Spend on photography for the First Minister: FOI release

How much money has been spent on a photographer/photography for the First Minister in each of the last three years, with a breakdown per year and per payments.

FOI unclear 55 score 16 working days correspondence ministers spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-03-26
Reference: FOI/202500451640
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

National newspaper spend: FOI release

1. The total value of news subscriptions paid for the National newspaper by the Scottish Government in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 so far. Where possible, please breakdown these payments by the directorate responsible for paying these subscriptions too. 2. Of the media monitoring services the Scottish Government pays...

FOI unclear 50 score 11 working days correspondence ministers contracts spending

Published: 2025-03-19
Reference: FOI/202500452859
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government advertising spend on social media platform X: FOI release

A record of all spending by the Scottish Government and associated departments on any advertising on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) since October 27th, 2022. Please break this down by month and from which project and/or department.

FOI unclear 50 score 15 working days correspondence spending

Published: 2025-03-12
Reference: FOI/202500451618
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector