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

Total number of Freedom of Information request made by journalist: FOI release

1. The number of Freedom of Information requests sent to the Scottish Government by journalist and author James McAneny in the period 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2021. 2. Please give a rough breakdown of requests by subject matter. 3. Please give a breakdown of how many were appealed and reviewed internally and externally, ...

FOI unclear 50 score 16 working days correspondence meetings spending
Published
2021-06-14
Reference
FOI/202100202676
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector, Work and skills

Expenditure of James Hamilton QC inquiry: FOI release

Could you please tell me who paid for the James Hamilton QC inquiry and how much it cost.

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence spending s.25(1)
Published
2021-06-09
Reference
FOI/202100189377
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Public sector

Redeployment of Freedom of Information Unit staff due to COVID-19: FOI release

1. For each month commencing January 2020 to date, please provide the total number of FTE staff working in the FOI unit. 2. All correspondence discussing and enacting the decision to redeploy FOI Unit staff to Covid critical roles. The correspondence should be specifically between the following two groups (A) Ministers...

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.17(1)
Published
2021-03-30
Reference
FOI/202100155415
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

Budget allocation for the government business and constitutional policy: FOI release

For 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. A breakdown of what the budget allocation for the government business and constitutional policy was used for. Please break this down by type of spend and equivalent allocation in £s.

FOI unclear 55 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence spending s.17(1)
Published
2021-03-29
Reference
FOI/202100151055
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Public sector

Local authorities operating independently of central government: FOI release

1) In which year did it start in Scotland that:- Local authorities in Scotland operate independently of central government and are accountable to their electorates. 2) How much is the biggest budget cut since 2009 to local authority spending (Eg roads, pavements, homelessness, etc etc) 3) How much is the budget for ...

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence spending s.2 s.25(1)
Published
2021-03-25
Reference
FOI/202100152293
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Economy, Money and tax, Public sector

Allocated spending for Government Business and Constitutional Relations Policy: FOI release

Full breakdown of allocated spending for Government Business and Constitutional Relations Policy for 2021-22. By this I mean a breakdown of what the overall spending for Government Business and Constitutional Relations Policy - which is £14.8 million according to the 2021-22 Budget - will be spent on. Please could this...

FOI unclear 50 score 10 working days correspondence spending
Published
2021-03-15
Reference
FOI/202100148506
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Programme for Government, Public sector

Responsibilities for specific Ministerial positions: FOI release

1. A copy of the responsibilities of each of the following ministerial positions as at 16th December 2019. The First Minister Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Minister for Public Health and Sport 2. If not included in the descriptions above, a copy of the responsibilities of whichever minister(s) or cabinet sec...

FOI unclear 80 score 1 working days correspondence ministers s.25(1) 2 attachments
Published
2021-03-11
Reference
FOI/202100152438
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Briefings regarding Referendums Bill set out in 2020-21 Programme for Government: FOI release

From 1 August 2020 to present: Copies of all briefings prepared by civil servants regarding the Referendums Bill that was set out in the 2020-21 Programme for Government that will be introduced to Parliament by the end of this parliamentary term.

FOI unclear 75 score 15 working days correspondence briefings 2 attachments
Published
2021-02-18
Reference
FOI/202100136031
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Programme for Government, Public sector

Scottish Government stance on independence referendum: FOI release

Have Scottish Government employees started work on a White Paper on independence, or an equivalent document to the 2013 document, Scotland’s Future? When did this work start? How many officials have been working on this? What is the cost in terms of employee time, etc, of the preparation of that document? Have the reco...

FOI unclear 55 score 16 working days correspondence ministers spending s.25(1) s.17(1)
Published
2021-02-10
Reference
FOI/202000117911
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Expenditure of independence referendum: FOI release

Since the SNP administration took office in 2007, how much of taxpayers money has been spent on the SNP’s independence project.

FOI unclear 55 score 16 working days correspondence ministers spending s.25(1)
Published
2021-02-09
Reference
FOI/202000117524
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Economy, Money and tax, Public sector

James Hamilton investigation remit: FOI release

Does the remit of the Investigation being conducted by James Hamilton officially include whether there has been ANY breach of ANY part of the Ministerial Code by the First Minister - including section 1.3(c) - or is his brief restricted to the narrower aspects of the Code specified in the remit published by the Scottis...

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers s.1
Published
2021-02-04
Reference
FOI/202000108998
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Civil servant redeployment during the COVID-19 pandemic: FOI release

You asked: The number of civil servants redeployed to work in the Constitution and Cabinet Directorate during the COVID-19 pandemic from other government departments. Broken down by month from April 2020 to present.

FOI unclear 50 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence
Published
2021-01-19
Reference
FOI/202000126288
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public safety and emergencies, Public sector

Referendums (Scotland) Bill Team meetings: FOI release

Can you provide a list of dates of: Any meetings (virtual, in person, over the phone and/or otherwise) between ScottishGovernment Special Advisors and any member and/or members of the Referendums Scotland Bill Team.

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence meetings s.18
Published
2021-01-13
Reference
FOI/202000106111
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Meetings between Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs and Referendums (Scotland) Bill Team: FOI release

Can you provide a list of dates of: Any meetings (virtual, in person, over the phone and/or otherwise) between the Cabinet Secretary Michael Russell and any member and/or members of the Referendums Scotland Bill Team.

FOI unclear 50 score 18 working days correspondence ministers meetings
Published
2021-01-13
Reference
FOI/202000106102
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

The Scottish Government's monthly FOI performance statistics: FOI release

Are other public bodies included in the Scottish Government's monthly FOI performance statistics sent to the Scottish Information commissioner? If the answer is yes, could you please send me a list of all other public bodies included.

FOI unclear 50 score 1 working days correspondence ministers
Published
2021-01-12
Reference
FOI/202000114200
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Civil servant redeployment to support COVID-19 response: FOI release

The number of civil servants redeployed from the Constitution and Cabinet Directorate during the COVID-19 pandemic to work in other government departments. Broken down by month from April 2020 to present.

FOI unclear 50 score 18 working days correspondence
Published
2020-12-17
Reference
FOI/202000105326
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public sector

Referendums Scotland Bill Team - date of formation: FOI release

You asked for: a) The date on which the Referendums Scotland Bill Team was formed. b) The date on which the first civil servant started working as part of the Referendums Scotland Bill Team.

FOI unclear 50 score 16 working days correspondence
Published
2020-12-11
Reference
FOI/202000106096
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector

James Hamilton QC investigation remit: FOI release

Does the remit of the Investigation being conducted by James Hamilton officially include whether there has been ANY breach of ANY part of the Ministerial Code by the First Minister - including section 1.3(c) - or is his brief restricted to the narrower aspects of the Code specified in the remit published by the Scottis...

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers s.1
Published
2020-12-08
Reference
FOI/202000108998
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Covered cost of staff Christmas parties and other festive arrangements: FOI release

You asked for: The allocated budget for each Scottish Government department to cover the cost of their staff Christmas parties (in whatever form they might take) and other festive arrangements for 2020. Please could you provide the per-head Christmas budget for each department, as well as the total for each (i.e. A d...

FOI unclear 55 score 2 working days correspondence spending s.17(1)
Published
2020-12-04
Reference
FOI/202000110616
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector

The Referendums Scotland Bill Team: FOI release

Details of the number of civil servants that are part of the Referendums Scotland Bill Team. Details of the remit of the Referendums Scotland Bill Team. (e.g. description of the main duties of the team, key roles of the team and/or otherwise)

FOI unclear 50 score 13 working days correspondence
Published
2020-11-30
Reference
FOI/202000102243
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Scottish Government staff engaged in updating the ‘Scotland’s Future’ publication: FOI release

Please could I request the following under the freedom of information legislation. For each of the following years 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020 to present: Details of the number of civil servants working on a paper to update/renew the Scottish Government’s paper ‘Scotland’s Future’.

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence
Published
2020-11-25
Reference
FOI/202000096466
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Civil servants working within the Constitution and Cabinet Directorate: FOI release

a. The number of civil servants that work as part of the Constitution and Cabinet Directorate. If different to the answer to part of a. of question,: b. The number of civil servants that specifically work on constitutional policy as part of the Constitution and Cabinet Directorate

FOI unclear 50 score 37 working days over deadline correspondence
Published
2020-11-11
Reference
FOI/202000093304
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector, Work and skills