Scottish Government FOI Index

11,099releases indexed

19,072attachments found

28.7avg calendar days

4,403partially withheld

2023-10-02oldest in sample

2026-05-15newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 4,403 unclear 3,109 not held 1,663 released 816 already published 409 cost limit 376 clarification 166 withheld 123 transferred 34

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 2824 s.20 2437 s.34(1) 2118 s.39(2) 1920 s.30 1721 s.17(1) 1465 s.25(1) 1326 s.10(4) 1159 s.11(2) 933 s.29(1) 703 s.2 586 s.6(1) 478

Timeline

2026-05 339 2026-04 312 2026-03 217 2026-02 589 2026-01 479 2025-12 177 2025-11 263 2025-10 217

Directorate Profiles

Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate 743 releases · 28.1 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 632 releases · 29.1 avg days Local Government and Housing Directorate 437 releases · 29.3 avg days Marine Directorate 406 releases · 26.4 avg days Population Health Directorate 404 releases · 25.8 avg days Environment and Forestry Directorate 354 releases · 34.0 avg days Economic Development Directorate 334 releases · 41.5 avg days People Directorate 332 releases · 23.9 avg days

Clear

256 matching releases

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

Parliamentary question costs: FOI release

How much does it cost in 2024-25 for Scottish Government officials to respond to one parliamentary question? How much did it cost in 2023-24 for Scottish Government officials to respond to one parliamentary question?

FOI unclear 55 score 11 working days correspondence spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-03-04
Reference: FOI/202500452185
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Advertising and public information campaign queries: FOI release

1. A list of all government-funded advertising or public information campaigns that were abandoned before launch between 2019 and the present. 2. The total cost incurred for each abandoned campaign, including but not limited to media planning, creative development, consultancy fees, and production costs. 3. The reaso...

FOI unclear 55 score 15 working days correspondence spending s.3

Published: 2025-02-25
Reference: FOI/202500450714
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Ministerial salary information: FOI release

I am responding to the following three of the your 17 questions: 9. For year 2023 - provide the salary breakdown of each Scottish Ministers and any increases that were allocated and to whom and the amount 10. For year 2024 - provide the salary breakdown of Scottish Ministers and any increases that were allocated and ...

FOI unclear 55 score 7 working days correspondence ministers spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-02-24
Reference: FOI/202500451978
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Freedom of Information requests received regarding ministerial trip to Scottish League Cup Final: FOI release

How many FOI requests about Neil Gray's ministerial trip to the Scottish League Cup Final on December 17 have been made, and how many were registered as sensitive and were sent to Special Advisers for comment and onwards to Ministers for clearance? Could you supply each of these "sensitive" FOI requests, who they went...

FOI unclear 50 score 4 working days correspondence ministers special advisers

Published: 2025-02-20
Reference: FOI/202500451289
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Arts, culture and sport, Public sector

Freedom of Information request queries: FOI release

1. In case the Scottish Government does not currently have resources to answer all of the questions to a Freedom of Information request, what questions does the Scottish Government select from the request? Will the questions be answered in order, or will only the easiest questions be answered, or anything else? 2. How...

FOI/EIR unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence briefings s.14 s.60 s.20

Published: 2025-02-18
Reference: FOI/202500447643
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Redaction training on Consultations: FOI release

1. The training materials used to instruct staff in the redaction of consultations, including the threshold at which comments are to be redacted for being: Inappropriate or offensive content that might be harmful to others Inflammatory or likely to result in distress and alarm Criticism of colleagues, teams, business ...

FOI unclear 55 score 16 working days correspondence contracts s.3 s.2 s.25(1)

Published: 2025-02-14
Reference: FOI/202500447203
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Freedom of Information requests sent to Special Advisers and Ministers: FOI release

1. How many FOI requests have been sent to Special Advisers and Ministers in the last 12 months, and how many haven't been sent in the same time period? 2. Could you detail which one they had been sent to i.e Special Adviser or Minister or both?

FOI/EIR unclear 55 score 14 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.20

Published: 2025-02-14
Reference: FOI/202500448221
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Former First Minister's outfits for Covid-19 briefings: FOI release

During Covid, First Minister Sturgeon was seen to be wearing a different outfit every night, was this paid for by the Scottish Government? Could you send the details out as soon as possible under the Freedom of information act.

FOI unclear 50 score 6 working days correspondence ministers briefings

Published: 2025-01-31
Reference: FOI/202500448339
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Legal costs incurred to challenge the release of information: FOI release

Any legal costs incurred over the last five years by the Scottish Government or other agencies to challenge the release of information requested via freedom of information requests. Costs may include those paid to lawyers and external barristers. Please provide details of every legal case.

FOI unclear 55 score 14 working days correspondence ministers spending s.25(1) s.17(1)

Published: 2025-01-31
Reference: FOI/202500446774
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Meetings between the First Minister and newspaper editors: FOI release

The number and list of meetings the First Minister has had with newspaper editors since taking office, and for the minutes/notes from these meetings.

FOI unclear 50 score 7 working days correspondence ministers meetings

Published: 2025-01-29
Reference: FOI/202500447632
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Ministerial responsibility for Scottish Canals: FOI release

Ministerial Responsibility: 1. Which Minister(s) in the Scottish Government have had overall responsibility for Scottish Canals since 1 January 2022? 2. Please provide start and end dates, if there is more than one person. 3. Have any Ministers of State or other ministerial officials been assigned specific responsib...

FOI unclear 55 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.3 s.4

Published: 2025-01-27
Reference: FOI/202400444627
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Transport