Transparency index

Scottish Government FOI releases

22,640releases indexed
40,478attachments found
29.5avg calendar days
8,386partially withheld
2016-06-13oldest in sample
2026-09-02newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 8,386 unclear 7,405 not held 3,239 released 1,581 already published 700 cost limit 627 clarification 372 withheld 249 transferred 81

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 5149 s.20 4430 s.34(1) 3727 s.39(2) 3593 s.30 2994 s.17(1) 2922 s.25(1) 2520 s.10(4) 2060 s.11(2) 1619 s.29(1) 1223 s.2 1222 s.3 958

Timeline

2026-09 1 2026-08 299 2026-07 476 2026-06 1 2026-05 410 2026-04 312 2026-03 217 2026-02 589

Directorate Profiles

Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate 1,312 releases · 27.9 avg days Marine Directorate 978 releases · 29.6 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 961 releases · 30.9 avg days Learning Directorate 871 releases · 34.3 avg days Economic Development Directorate 737 releases · 39.7 avg days Constitution Directorate 702 releases · 35.9 avg days Population Health Directorate 665 releases · 28.5 avg days People Directorate 657 releases · 25.6 avg days
Clear
702 matching releases

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 correspondence: FOI release

You asked for the following - From 1 June 2020 to present: Copies of any correspondence (emails, hand-written notes, briefings, minutes of calls, memos and/or otherwise) from the Referendums Scotland Bill Team that include reference to Scottish independence.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 18 working days correspondence briefings meetings s.38(1) 2 attachments
Published
2021-01-14
Reference
FOI/202000106515
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, 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

Scottish Government Freedom of Information response time statistics: FOI release

"Broken down monthly for the past 3 years: The number of freedom of information requests that were not responded to by the Scottish Government within 20 working days."

FOI/EIR released 100 score 7 working days correspondence s.20 2 attachments
Published
2021-01-12
Reference
FOI/202000111702
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

Correspondence concerning updating the ‘Scotland’s Future’ publication: FOI release

Copies of correspondence (emails, texts, whatsapp messages, written notes, minutes of calls, minutes of meetings and/or otherwise) between civil servants and/or Special Advisors and/or members of the Scottish Government Cabinet regarding the need to update the ‘Scotland’s Future’ paper originally published in November ...

FOI partially withheld 65 score 20 working days correspondence ministers meetings whatsapp s.29(1) s.30
Published
2020-11-25
Reference
FOI/202000096481
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

FOI references of all recorded requests: FOI release

Under FOI please give me an excel (NOT as a pdf) list of all FOI requests you have had since it became law. for each FOI request, please list: date of request date of reply reference number/ID subject/title of the request [each request on the list should include the subject/title of the request please] status [whether...

FOI/EIR not held 70 score 16 working days correspondence ministers spending s.20 s.17(1) s.12 2 attachments
Published
2020-11-13
Reference
FOI/202000086590
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

Copies of minutes for the Scottish Government Cabinet Meeting on 30 June 2020: FOI release

1. Copies of minutes for the Scottish Government Cabinet Meeting on 30 June 2020. 2. Any papers and/or briefings that were circulated to the Scottish Government Cabinet from civil servants, special advisors and/or otherwise in preparation for the Cabinet meeting on 30 June 2020. 3. Copies of correspondence from/to civi...

FOI already published 80 score 18 working days correspondence briefings meetings s.30 s.25(1) s.29(1) s.36(1) s.17(1) 6 attachments
Published
2020-11-12
Reference
FOI/202000090391
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

Briefings analysing the UK Internal Market Bill: FOI release

From 1 July 2020 to present: • Copies of any civil servants briefings analysing the UK Internal Market Bill.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 23 working days over deadline correspondence briefings s.30 2 attachments
Published
2020-11-06
Reference
FOI/202000089283
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Brexit, Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence concerning pursuit of Independence and the Referendums Bill: FOI release

From 1 September 2020 to present: Copies of emails sent to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon from members of the public regarding their concern/anger/unhappiness and/or similar at: The announcement of the Referendums Bill in her Programme for Government 2020-21. The Scottish Government’s decision to actively pursue anoth...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 19 working days correspondence ministers s.17(1) s.38(1) 2 attachments
Published
2020-11-06
Reference
FOI/202000091118
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Programme for Government, +1 more … Public sector

Coronavirus (Scotland) Bill FOI legislation changes: FOI release

In relation to the Coronavirus (Scotland) Bill (https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/114929.aspx) I would like to request the following material: Any briefings or analysis documents outlining the need for / details of proposed changes to FOI legislation

FOI partially withheld 90 score 156 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings s.25(1) s.29(1) s.30 s.36(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) 4 attachments
Published
2020-11-06
Reference
FOI/202000025366
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public sector

The Scottish Government process of publishing FOI responses: FOI release

In order to clarify the strange apparent invisibility of several documents to the search engine - all of which, by a remarkable coincidence, relate to allegations of misconduct by the former First Minister Alex Salmond - please provide me with the search tags which have been attached to each of these 16 documents: (lis...

FOI released 95 score 5 working days correspondence ministers 2 attachments
Published
2020-10-26
Reference
FOI/202000101090
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Information concerning contact between the First Minister, the Former First Minister and representatives: FOI appeal

Information concerning contact between Ms. Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister, her Government and her staff and Mr Alex Salmond, Former First Minister and his representatives in the period 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2018: Dates and times of contact, meetings and phone calls Details of who was present at meetings...

FOI already published 80 score 457 working days over deadline correspondence ministers meetings whatsapp s.56 s.49(7) s.25(1) 6 attachments
Published
2020-10-26
Reference
FOI-19-00185-appeal
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence relating to the Scottish Government withdrawal from UK wide joint work on the internal market: FOI release

Copies of any correspondence (emails, letters, hand-written notes, whatsapp messages, internal briefings, minutes and details of calls and/or otherwise) between civil servants and/or special advisors and/or Scottish Government Cabinet members regarding the Scottish Government’s decision to withdraw from UK wide joint w...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence briefings meetings whatsapp s.38 s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments
Published
2020-10-20
Reference
FOI/202000072459
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Economy, Public sector