Transparency index

Scottish Government FOI releases

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
207 matching releases

Materials issued to political parties on new parliamentary candidacy rules: FOI release

Copies of all guidance, briefing notes or circulars issued by the Scottish Government to registered political parties between 1 January 2024 and 31 May 2026 explaining the new candidacy rights for foreign nationals with limited leave to remain, including any advice on how parties should verify eligibility.

FOI unclear 75 score 19 working days correspondence briefings 2 attachments
Published
2026-10-26
Reference
FOI/202600517355
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Materials regarding Iranian Bots supporting Scottish independence: FOI release

Could you supply all documentation held, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings and analysis, about Iranian Bots supporting Scottish independence, between July 1 2025 and January 30 2026?

FOI unclear 55 score 19 working days correspondence briefings meetings s.17(1)
Published
2026-10-21
Reference
FOI/202600514595
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Documentation regarding publishing reports and papers about Scottish independence: FOI release

Could you supply all documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received, minutes/notes from meetings, briefings and analysis, about publishing reports/papers about Scottish independence, from the last month?

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence briefings meetings
Published
2026-07-28
Reference
FOI/202600508249
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Scottish election voting and candidacy rights: FOI release

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I request all correspondence, meeting notes, or policy comparison documents between 1 January 2023 and 31 May 2026 relating to how Scotland’s approach to foreign national voting and candidacy rights compares with or was coordinated with policy in England, Wales, or ...

FOI unclear 80 score 19 working days correspondence briefings meetings s.25(1) 2 attachments
Published
2026-07-28
Reference
FOI/202600517312
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Lord Lieutenants and their deputies in Shetland spend: FOI release

Can you tell me how much is spent on providing the current Lord Lieutenant and their deputies in Shetland since the Lord Lieutenant Lindsay Tulloch took over the role on 3rd April 2024? Provide a breakdown of each of their wages and expenses. How much has been spent to provide Lord Lieutenants and their deputies in She...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence spending
Published
2026-07-27
Reference
FOI/202600502238
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Candidate statistics for 2026 election: FOI release

I am writing to submit a request for information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I request any data or reports held on the number of foreign national candidates who: (a) stood for election, (b) were elected, or (c) withdrew their candidacy ...

FOI unclear 55 score 19 working days correspondence s.17(1)
Published
2026-07-27
Reference
FOI/202600517353
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Technical changes to the electoral registration system: FOI release

I am writing to submit a request for information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I request details of any IT system changes, software updates, or new verification processes introduced between 1 January 2024 and 31 May 2026 to allow electoral r...

FOI unclear 55 score 19 working days correspondence s.17(1)
Published
2026-07-27
Reference
FOI/202600517377
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Constitutional Futures Division meeting requests and correspondence: FOI release

For the period 27th August 2023 - 17th January 2025, please provide the names of all persons or organisations who requested to meet (in person or virtually) with the Constitutional Futures Division, and had that request turned down. Please also provide all correspondence between the Scottish Government and such person...

FOI unclear 55 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence meetings s.17(1)
Published
2026-07-22
Reference
FOI/202600512112
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Guidance on implementation of candidacy rights for foreign nationals: FOI release

Copies of all guidance, instructions or correspondence issued by the Scottish Government to returning officers or electoral administrators since 1 February 2025 concerning the implementation of candidacy rights for foreign nationals with limited leave to remain (including any advice on visa extensions or by-election tr...

FOI unclear 75 score 17 working days correspondence 2 attachments
Published
2026-07-21
Reference
FOI/202600517338
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

Cost of hiring the National Portrait Gallery for the launch event of the “A Fresh Start with Independence” paper: FOI release

The cost to the Scottish Government of hiring the National Portrait Gallery for the launch event of the “A Fresh Start with Independence” paper on 8 October 2025. Please break down this cost including room hire, catering, and any other relevant costs.

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence spending
Published
2026-01-20
Reference
FOI/202500488285
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Date and author of the first draft of “Your Right to Decide”: FOI release

On what date was the first draft of “Your Right to Decide”, published on 4th September 2025, completed? Who wrote that first draft? If they cannot be named, please state their position (or positions).

FOI unclear 50 score correspondence ministers
Published
2026-01-13
Reference
FOI/202500483272
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Work and skills

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

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

Constitution Directorate staffing structure: FOI release

The current staffing structure of the Constitution Directorate, including the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, job titles or roles, and their pay bands. Please also provide this information for the former Constitutional Futures Division as it stood on 1 January 2025.

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence briefings
Published
2025-09-23
Reference
FOI/202500468231
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

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

The Edinburgh Agreement negotiations: FOI release

Could you give me a full list of all those involved in the Edinburgh Agreement negotiations from the Scottish Government side and the dates of when they were involved?

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers
Published
2025-07-08
Reference
FOI/202500465520
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

Unpublished draft paper content for the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series: FOI release

As of 6th December 2024, for each unpublished draft in the Building a New Scotland series of independence papers, please provide a list of all persons or organisations outside the Scottish Government who have seen any version of the draft during the process of it being written.

FOI unclear 50 score 24 working days over deadline correspondence
Published
2025-01-27
Reference
FOI/202400444079
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Final overview paper in the Building a New Scotland series of independence papers: FOI release

On what date did the Scottish Government make the decision to publish just one final overview paper in the Building a New Scotland series of independence papers? On what date was Angus Robertson informed of this decision?

FOI unclear 50 score 24 working days over deadline correspondence ministers meetings
Published
2025-01-27
Reference
FOI/202400444076
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Constitutional Futures Division meetings with external organisations: FOI release

For the period 6th September 2024 – date, please provide a list of all meetings (in person or virtual) between civil servants working for the Constitutional Futures Division and persons or organisations outside the Scottish Government. Please include the dates on which each meeting took place.

FOI unclear 50 score 0 working days correspondence meetings
Published
2025-01-27
Reference
FOI/202400444093
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector