Scottish Government FOI Index

19,099releases indexed

31,532attachments found

29.7avg calendar days

7,049partially withheld

2018-11-16oldest in sample

2026-05-15newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 7,049 unclear 6,352 not held 2,688 released 1,289 already published 610 cost limit 529 clarification 306 withheld 208 transferred 68

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 4381 s.20 3726 s.34(1) 3480 s.39(2) 2967 s.30 2536 s.17(1) 2457 s.25(1) 2090 s.10(4) 1747 s.11(2) 1413 s.29(1) 1021 s.2 1021 s.3 800

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 1,082 releases · 27.9 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 858 releases · 31.1 avg days Marine Directorate 802 releases · 29.6 avg days Learning Directorate 714 releases · 34.4 avg days Population Health Directorate 607 releases · 28.7 avg days Economic Development Directorate 577 releases · 40.0 avg days Constitution Directorate 573 releases · 36.1 avg days People Directorate 536 releases · 25.8 avg days

Clear

165 matching releases

Transfer of devolved powers to the UK Government queries: FOI release

1. Confirmation of whether any Section 30 Order has ever transferred devolved powers from the Scottish Government or Scottish Parliament to the UK Government Please confirm: Whether any Order in Council made under Section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998 has ever had the effect of reducing the legislative competence of the...

FOI transferred 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings s.30 s.1 s.4 s.17(1)

Published: 2026-05-11
Reference: FOI/202600500071
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence regarding foreign state operations: FOI release

1. Any advice, briefings, or guidance issued to Scottish Government Ministers in the calendar year 2025 regarding suspected foreign state influence operations, specifically relating to a suspected Iranian bot network (or "inauthentic coordinated behavior") operating on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in ...

FOI unclear 55 score 24 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings s.17(1)

Published: 2026-04-30
Reference: FOI/202500497033
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Independence campaigning spend: FOI release

The amount spent on independence campaigning.

FOI not held 45 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence spending s.17(1)

Published: 2026-03-09
Reference: FOI/202500499772
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Details of First Minister's meeting with the Leader of Plaid Cymru: FOI release

- Any costs involved in the First Minister hosting Rhun ap Iorwerth at Bute House in October 2025. For example, catering costs, and any other costs incurred. - A list of the people who attended the First Minister’s meeting with Rhun ap Iorwerth at Bute House in October 2025. - Any correspondence sent or received by t...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers meetings spending s.17(1) s.29(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2026-02-11
Reference: FOI/202500493831
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Budget for advertising the “A Fresh Start with Independence” paper on social media: FOI release

1) The cost of producing the “A Fresh Start with Independence” paper – broken down by all known costs. For example, design work. 2) The budget for advertising the “A Fresh Start with Independence” paper on social media. Break this down by social media platform.

FOI partially withheld 65 score 18 working days correspondence spending s.27(1) s.17(1)

Published: 2026-01-19
Reference: FOI/202500488266
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Cost of advertising the “A Fresh Start with Independence” paper: FOI release

1. The total cost of producing the white paper. 2. A breakdown of expenses, including (but not limited to) research, writing, design, printing, and digital publication. 3. Any additional costs associated with public dissemination or promotion of the document.

FOI partially withheld 65 score 16 working days correspondence spending s.27(1) s.17(1)

Published: 2026-01-19
Reference: FOI/202500488758
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Your Right to Decide correspondence and meeting information: FOI release

1) All correspondence between the First Minister (and his office) and officials working in the Scottish Government’s Constitution Directorate since 6 May 2025. This should include emails, meetings of any kind, letters or phone calls. 2) How many meetings Scottish Ministers attended to discuss the Your Right to Decide ...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.2 s.38(1) s.34(1) s.17(1) s.30 4 attachments

Published: 2026-01-14
Reference: FOI/202500486711
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Advance sight of “Your Right To Decide” before publication information: FOI release

All people outside the Scottish Government who had advance sight of “Your Right To Decide” before its publication on 4th September 2025. If they cannot be named, please state the organisation they work for, and their position.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence s.17(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-12-23
Reference: FOI/202500483252
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence and statistics related to Your Right to Decide paper: FOI release

I would like the following under freedom of information legislation about the Your Right to Decide paper, released to journalists under embargo on September 3: The amount of money spent on the creation of the paper The number of civil servants who worked on the creation of the paper Any correspondence in relation to t...

FOI cost limit 70 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings spending s.27(1) s.17(1) s.12 s.38 2 attachments

Published: 2025-12-10
Reference: FOI/202500483180
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Your Scotland - Your Referendum consultation costs: FOI release

Please tell me how much the Scottish Government spent on the 'Your Scotland - Your Referendum" Consultation in 2012.

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence contracts spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-12-09
Reference: FOI/202500481092
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Scottish Independence correspondence and spend: FOI release

(1) Please can you share any correspondence sent to or from Scottish Government Ministers since January 2025 relating to Scottish Independence. (2) Please can you share the total cost of any spending by the Scottish Government since January 2025 on any research, media or other activity relating to Scottish Independenc...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers spending s.38(1) s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-11-18
Reference: FOI/202500479693
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 exclusions: FOI release

The total number of exclusions the Scottish Government has requested for one of its policies or regulations from the market access principles as set out in the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. Please provide the full correspondence detailing these requests from the Scottish Government to the United Kingdom Gove...

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence s.17(1)

Published: 2025-10-20
Reference: FOI/202500476172
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Correspondence from the Scottish Government relating to Scottish Independence: FOI release

1. Could you supply all correspondence and minutes/notes from meetings between the Scottish Government and UK Government about Scottish independence from the last three months, and also any briefings about this? 2. Could you supply all documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and re...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence briefings meetings s.17(1) s.38 s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-09-09
Reference: FOI/202500461262
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Staffing and costs involved in coordinating work on the Independence Prospectus: FOI release

Please provide the number of staff employed within the Scottish Government’s Constitutional Futures Division who were involved in coordinating work on the independence prospectus and related activity, broken down by headcount and pay grade, at each of the following dates: 31 March 2022 31 March 2023 31 March 2024 31 M...

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence ministers spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-08-27
Reference: FOI/202500475992
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Constitutional Futures Division staffing and project queries: FOI release

Could you supply how many civil servants are working in the Constitutional Futures Division on this date, and this date in each of the last four years as well, as well as what level of civil service they are at? Could you supply a list of projects/reports that the division has worked on in the last three months, includ...

FOI partially withheld 65 score 20 working days correspondence meetings spending s.17(1) s.30C

Published: 2025-06-26
Reference: FOI/202500457304
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Leveson Inquiry documentation: FOI release

1. Could you supply all documentation held by the Scottish Government which mentions the Leveson Inquiry, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), briefings, minutes/notes from meetings, analysis, from the last three months? 2. How many times has the Scottish Government been accused of breachin...

FOI not held 70 score 6 working days correspondence briefings meetings spending s.38(1) s.17(1) s.12 2 attachments

Published: 2025-02-18
Reference: FOI/202500447097
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Civil Servant responsibilities and work from home-related policies: FOI release

1. (Question 1) An account/description of the responsibilities of Policy Officers in the Scottish Government . 2. (Question 2) An account/description of the responsibilities of Policy Managers in the Scottish Government. 3. (Question 3) The Scottish Government’s active work from home-related policies for its policy o...

FOI unclear 80 score 20 working days correspondence ministers s.4 s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-02-18
Reference: FOI/202500447205
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Constitutional Futures Division statistics: FOI release

For each calendar month of 2024, up to and including November, please provide the number of civil servants working for the Constitutional Futures Division as of the last working day of the month. For each month, please also provide a list of the outputs (defined however the Scottish Government measures such things) de...

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

Published: 2025-01-27
Reference: FOI/202400444183
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Building a New Scotland independence paper information: FOI release

On what date did work cease on the planned Building a New Scotland independence papers covering the following topics: 1. Fiscal plan 2. Pensions 3. Energy/net zero In each case, please provide the draft paper as it existed when work was halted.

FOI partially withheld 65 score 3 working days correspondence ministers s.17(1) s.30

Published: 2025-01-27
Reference: FOI/202400444159
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence on the cancellation of former First Minister's speech: FOI release

How much did it cost to cancel Humza Yousaf's independence speech on April 26 and could you supply all email correspondence and briefings held surrounding this cancellation, as well as a breakdown of costs?

FOI not held 70 score 6 working days correspondence ministers briefings spending s.17(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-09
Reference: FOI/202400438810
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Independence referendum speeches prepared for former First Minister: FOI release

Please provide any communication, drafts and information relating to speeches prepared for former FM Alex Salmond for the outcome of the independence referendum in 2014. Please include information on potential speeches prepared for the outcome of independence.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers s.17(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2024-11-25
Reference: FOI/202400436354
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Constitution Futures Division staff numbers and funding: FOI release

1. Please set out how many civil servants per salary band worked within the Constitution Futures Division at any point for each year including 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. 2. Please set out how much SG funding/budget has been allocated to that division’s work for each of those years.

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers spending s.17(1)

Published: 2024-10-14
Reference: FOI/202400429584
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Cost of the Building a New Scotland series and the number of staff in the Constitutional Futures Division: FOI release

1) Since 2011, an annual breakdown of costs associated with the production of the White Paper on Independence or Independence Papers as part of the Building a New Scotland Series. 2) Over the same time period, an annual breakdown of the number of Civil Servants working in the Government's "Scottish Government’s Consti...

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence ministers spending s.2 s.3 s.17(1)

Published: 2024-10-04
Reference: FOI/202400425685
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Money spent on third-party or legal costs connected to independence: FOI release

Since 2011, the amount of money spent by the Scottish Government on third-party or legal costs connected to in any way (advisory, consultancy or legal advice or other) to any question of policy around independence. This should include but not be limited to - consultancy connected to the Building a New Scotland papers, ...

FOI released 75 score 19 working days correspondence spending s.25(1) s.17(1)

Published: 2024-10-04
Reference: FOI/202400425678
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Former First Minister's speech at Glasgow University: FOI release

1. Details of how many Scottish Government staff worked on Humza Yousaf's speech at Glasgow University on January 8, 2024 (Scottish independence: industrial policy). 2. Details of anyone outwith the Scottish Government involved in the writing of the speech or the number of people from outwith the Scottish Government w...

FOI cost limit 70 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending s.17(1) s.12 s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2024-09-13
Reference: FOI/202400392532
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector