Transparency index

Scottish Government FOI releases

21,792releases indexed
39,278attachments found
29.7avg calendar days
8,073partially withheld
2016-06-13oldest in sample
2026-05-15newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 8,073 unclear 7,195 not held 3,052 released 1,533 already published 668 cost limit 605 clarification 348 withheld 241 transferred 77

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 4905 s.20 4252 s.34(1) 3567 s.39(2) 3455 s.30 2866 s.17(1) 2763 s.25(1) 2372 s.10(4) 1971 s.11(2) 1559 s.29(1) 1168 s.2 1152 s.3 903

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 1,275 releases · 27.9 avg days Marine Directorate 961 releases · 29.6 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 919 releases · 31.1 avg days Learning Directorate 859 releases · 34.4 avg days Economic Development Directorate 725 releases · 40.0 avg days Constitution Directorate 685 releases · 36.1 avg days Population Health Directorate 645 releases · 28.7 avg days People Directorate 631 releases · 25.8 avg days
Clear
525 matching releases

List of Scottish Government special advisers 2021: FOI release

A list of Scottish Government special advisers as of March 24, 2021 and their area of expertise as well as for a list of Scottish Government special advisers as of August 5, 2021, and their area of expertise.

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence special advisers s.25(1)
Published
2021-09-29
Reference
FOI/202100235832
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Transcript of interview between journalist and Education Secretary: FOI release

You asked for a transcript of the interview between the P&J and Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence 2 attachments
Published
2021-09-06
Reference
FOI/202100224700
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Education, Public sector

Communication between Kenny MacAskill MP and Neale Hanvey MP: FOI release

Any email/whatsapp communications or meetings between Kenny MacAskill MP and Neale Hanvey MP and Scottish Government Ministers from Feburary 27th 2021 to March 28th 2021.

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers meetings whatsapp s.38 s.38(1)
Published
2021-08-26
Reference
FOI/202100224533
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Consultation data on Citizen Space: FOI release

For a research project, we have analysed the case of "We asked, You said, We did" of the Scottish Government. Is it possible to have some statistics for the period from 2015 to 2020. In particular: 1) the n. of consultations closed per each year. 2) the n. of the published responses per each consultation per each yea...

FOI unclear 50 score 33 working days over deadline correspondence
Published
2021-08-24
Reference
FOI/202100223045
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Publication of information in the media about civil servants: FOI release

Any policy or guidance you have on how the Scottish Government deals with the publication of information in the media about civil servants”. You noted a particular interest in “understanding the approach to the media seeking to publish damaging information about junior civil servants i.e. non-senior civil service grade...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence ministers
Published
2021-08-10
Reference
FOI/202100218105
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

Full-time equivalent media officers: FOI release

Please provide the number of FTE media officers employed by the Scottish government in the financial years 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19, 2017/18, and 2016/17. Please also provide the budget for the Scottish government's media relations department in each of those years.

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence spending
Published
2021-07-19
Reference
FOI/202100215223
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

Custom audience feature used in Facebook advertising campaigns: FOI release

If any Scottish Government advertising campaigns have made use of Facebook's custom audiences feature in order to target advertising and what data was uploaded to Facebook to create the audience?

FOI unclear 50 score 9 working days correspondence
Published
2021-07-12
Reference
FOI/202100217339
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

Covid-19 breakdown of media expenditure: FOI release

1. How much has the SNP spent on media for covid 19 everyday? 2. How much is the budget? 3. Have the SNP used money that could have fed homeless and poorer families just to talk about a virus with a 99.9% survival rate?

FOI unclear 50 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers spending
Published
2021-06-11
Reference
FOI/202100199714
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Money and tax, Public sector

Scottish Governments annual spend on fair trade goods: FOI release

Data on the Scottish Government‘s total annual spend on fair trade goods, including items purchased for resale, for the financial year 19/20. You asked for the data to be broken down by: Vendor name Whether they were contracted/non-contracted Description of item(s) purchased Total value per order

FOI unclear 75 score 10 working days correspondence contracts spending 2 attachments
Published
2021-06-03
Reference
FOI/202100199142
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Public sector

Bute House refurbishment costs: FOI release

"Given recent media coverage on Downing Street spending, over last 14 years how much has been spent by SNP Government on refurbishments of Bute House? What were sources of that financing and was that in excess of the annual public budget? If so where did that funding come from?"

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence ministers spending
Published
2021-06-01
Reference
FOI/202100197363
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

First Minister Bute House maintenance allowance: FOI release

Does the First Minister of Scotland receive an allowance for costs associated with maintaining and furnishing her official residence – Bute House? If yes: How much is that allowance? And is it an annual payment? Please can I receive a breakdown of what has been spent from that budget, from November 20th 2014 to the pr...

FOI unclear 50 score 18 working days correspondence ministers spending
Published
2021-06-01
Reference
FOI/202100198297
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Building, planning and design, Public sector

Scottish Government practice around disposal of confidential waste: FOI release

You asked for information on various aspects of the Scottish Government's arrangements for dealing with confidential waste. 1. Has confidential waste been procured via tender or framework or another means? 2. If a framework, could you confirm the name of the framework please? 3. Actual contract values of each framework...

FOI unclear 55 score 5 working days correspondence contracts spending s.3 s.5
Published
2021-05-21
Reference
FOI/202100201930
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Public sector

Annual road vehicle procurement: FOI release

All information held by the Scottish Government from 2016 onward which shows the number of road vehicles procured annually by the Scottish Government and by NDPBs, or as great a subset of the total as is held centrally, broken down by year, by fuel (petrol, diesel, electric) and where possible by agency or body.

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence contracts s.17(1)
Published
2021-05-20
Reference
FOI/202100184977
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Transport

Decisions on unacceptable actions: FOI release

1. Has the Scottish Government procedure on making someone subject to an unacceptable actions decision been considered by independent counsel in order to ensure that there can be no reasonable perception that there might be bias, or that the process is incompatible with Article 6 and Article 10 of the Human Rights Act....

FOI unclear 55 score 6 working days correspondence s.5
Published
2021-05-07
Reference
FOI/202100185878
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

COVID-19 survey gender identity questions: FOI release

"I have been taking the above survey, run on the Scottish Government's behalf by Progressive Research. One of the demographic questions asks what is my 'gender identity', and gives response options pertaining to biological sex (male and female), as well as "other gender identity" and "prefer not to say". Since gender i...

FOI unclear 55 score 27 working days over deadline correspondence s.7
Published
2021-04-29
Reference
FOI/202100173238
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Equality and rights, Public sector

Total advertising spend for 2019-2020: FOI release

Details of the total Scottish government spend on PR and advertising during the last financial year? Do you have provisional figures for the current year?

FOI unclear 50 score 78 working days over deadline correspondence spending
Published
2021-04-14
Reference
FOI/202000118552
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Public sector

Digital, product recognition and research expenditure: FOI release

Please detail all above the line advertising spend by the Scottish government in 2020. Please note, I do not need the Media spend, I would like to see how much was spend on developing and producing advertising via external agencies (including advertising agencies, PR agencies, digital agencies and content agencies) in ...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence spending
Published
2021-04-14
Reference
FOI/202100163186
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Public sector

Total costs of flags: FOI release

The spend on flags for Scottish buildings across: 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence spending
Published
2021-04-12
Reference
FOI/202100162404
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Money and tax, Public sector

Flag flying and purchasing statistics: FOI release

1. A breakdown of the types and numbers of each flag owned by the Scottish Government that are to be flown on official days. 2. A breakdown of the cost and number purchased of each flag type over the past 12 months. 3. The cost of repairs made to owned flags over the past 12 month (with a breakdown by type of possible)...

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence spending s.2 s.3
Published
2021-04-12
Reference
FOI/202100163026
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
International, Programme for Government, Public sector

Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs correspondence: FOI release

From 29 December 2020 to 5 January 2021: Copies of all emails from/to Michael Russell including the term ‘no deal’. This can be in the subject header, body of the email, attachment to the email and/or otherwise.

FOI unclear 75 score 19 working days correspondence ministers 2 attachments
Published
2021-04-08
Reference
FOI/202100133649
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Brexit, Public sector

Details regarding First Minister's Scottish Government website biography photograph: FOI release

"Who paid for this photograph? Who owns the copyright or licensing rights? It has been used in the recent past on the side of a bus, on a helicopter and in advertising material specifically for political and campaign purposes. Can I please ask whom in the Scottish Government decided it can be used in a publicly funded ...

FOI unclear 50 score 6 working days correspondence ministers spending
Published
2021-04-01
Reference
FOI/202100168781
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

COVID-19 Visitors to St Andrews House Edinburgh: FOI release

A record of guests/visitors who have visited St Andrews House Edinburgh from 1st December 2020 until the present date- 5th February 2021. Guests/Visitors are defined as people who are not members of government, MSPs or civil servants. Any personal information that can identify someone doesn't have to be included, but a...

FOI unclear 75 score 18 working days correspondence 2 attachments
Published
2021-04-01
Reference
FOI/202100151568
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public sector

Communications relating to drug deaths statistics: FOI release

All emails, letters, minutes of meetings, briefings, hand written notes, records of phone or other conversations and messages on encrypted phone apps between any permutation of the following people - The Public Health Minister, The Cabinet Secretary for health, the First Minister and the Chair of the Drugs death task f...

FOI unclear 75 score 17 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings 2 attachments
Published
2021-03-31
Reference
FOI/202100157878
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Health and social care, Public sector