Scottish Government FOI Index

21,863releases indexed

39,476attachments found

29.7avg calendar days

8,112partially withheld

2016-06-13oldest in sample

2026-05-20newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 8,112 unclear 7,200 not held 3,069 released 1,537 already published 671 cost limit 607 clarification 349 withheld 241 transferred 77

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 4931 s.20 4280 s.34(1) 3589 s.39(2) 3481 s.30 2878 s.17(1) 2774 s.25(1) 2381 s.10(4) 1987 s.11(2) 1571 s.29(1) 1175 s.2 1158 s.3 908

Timeline

2026-05 410 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 1,279 releases · 27.9 avg days Marine Directorate 967 releases · 29.6 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 923 releases · 31.0 avg days Learning Directorate 861 releases · 34.4 avg days Economic Development Directorate 729 releases · 39.9 avg days Constitution Directorate 685 releases · 36.1 avg days Population Health Directorate 645 releases · 28.7 avg days People Directorate 633 releases · 25.8 avg days

Clear

1,279 matching releases

Cost of First Minister's trip to France for D-Day commemorations: FOI release

A full breakdown of the costs of John Swinney heading to France for D-Day commemoration, including money spent on civil servants and people who accompanied him.

FOI partially withheld 65 score 13 working days correspondence ministers spending s.39(1)

Published: 2025-02-18
Reference: FOI/202500449160
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: International, Public sector

Redaction training on Consultations: FOI release

1. The training materials used to instruct staff in the redaction of consultations, including the threshold at which comments are to be redacted for being: Inappropriate or offensive content that might be harmful to others Inflammatory or likely to result in distress and alarm Criticism of colleagues, teams, business ...

FOI unclear 55 score 16 working days correspondence contracts s.3 s.2 s.25(1)

Published: 2025-02-14
Reference: FOI/202500447203
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence between the Scottish Government and Elon Musk: FOI release

Any emails sent by Scottish government special advisers which mention Elon Musk between January 1st and today, January 7th. Any emails sent by Scottish government media officers (press officers) which mention Elon Musk between January 1st and today, January 7th. Any emails sent by, or on behalf of, Scottish government ...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 17 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings s.38(1) s.34(1) s.30 s.32(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-02-14
Reference: FOI/202500446991
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Requests for First Minister to appear on podcasts: FOI release

A full list of requests for First Ministers to appear on podcasts in 2022, 2023, 2024, along with the name of the podcast and whether it was accepted or not, and reason why it was rejected.

FOI not held 45 score 18 working days correspondence ministers s.17(1)

Published: 2025-02-14
Reference: FOI/202500446688
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Correspondence regarding social media misinformation: FOI release

All the documentation received or sent by John Swinney/his office including minutes/notes from meetings, correspondence sent and received (including internal), briefings and policy notes, about social media misinformation and what can be done, between August 1 2024 and August 15 2024.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.25(1) s.38(1) 4 attachments

Published: 2025-02-14
Reference: FOI/202500446556
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Business, industry and innovation, Public sector

Freedom of Information requests sent to Special Advisers and Ministers: FOI release

1. How many FOI requests have been sent to Special Advisers and Ministers in the last 12 months, and how many haven't been sent in the same time period? 2. Could you detail which one they had been sent to i.e Special Adviser or Minister or both?

FOI/EIR unclear 55 score 14 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.20

Published: 2025-02-14
Reference: FOI/202500448221
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Former First Minister's outfits for Covid-19 briefings: FOI release

During Covid, First Minister Sturgeon was seen to be wearing a different outfit every night, was this paid for by the Scottish Government? Could you send the details out as soon as possible under the Freedom of information act.

FOI unclear 50 score 6 working days correspondence ministers briefings

Published: 2025-01-31
Reference: FOI/202500448339
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Legal costs incurred to challenge the release of information: FOI release

Any legal costs incurred over the last five years by the Scottish Government or other agencies to challenge the release of information requested via freedom of information requests. Costs may include those paid to lawyers and external barristers. Please provide details of every legal case.

FOI unclear 55 score 14 working days correspondence ministers spending s.25(1) s.17(1)

Published: 2025-01-31
Reference: FOI/202500446774
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Meetings between the First Minister and newspaper editors: FOI release

The number and list of meetings the First Minister has had with newspaper editors since taking office, and for the minutes/notes from these meetings.

FOI unclear 50 score 7 working days correspondence ministers meetings

Published: 2025-01-29
Reference: FOI/202500447632
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Appointment of Independent Advisers on the Scottish Ministerial Code: FOI release

1. Following the appointment of new independent ministerial code advisers, whether the Scottish Government opened up applications to the public for the position of independent adviser on the ministerial code. If so, how many applicants were there for the position? 2. If not, how many people were interviewed for the po...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 24 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings s.17(1) s.29(1) s.30 s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-28
Reference: FOI/202400445249
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Ministerial responsibility for Scottish Canals: FOI release

Ministerial Responsibility: 1. Which Minister(s) in the Scottish Government have had overall responsibility for Scottish Canals since 1 January 2022? 2. Please provide start and end dates, if there is more than one person. 3. Have any Ministers of State or other ministerial officials been assigned specific responsib...

FOI unclear 55 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.3 s.4

Published: 2025-01-27
Reference: FOI/202400444627
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Transport

Engagements attended by Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity: FOI release

A list of Jim Fairlie’s engagements as Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity from 1 November 2024 and the minutes of those engagements.

FOI not held 70 score 24 working days over deadline correspondence ministers meetings s.17(1) s.38(1) s.28 4 attachments

Published: 2025-01-27
Reference: FOI/202400444866
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Training days attended by Special Advisers: FOI release

A breakdown of costs associated with any away days or training days attended by Special Advisers (SpAds) over the past five years. Details of the dates, locations, and purposes of these events.

FOI unclear 55 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence special advisers spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-01-22
Reference: FOI/202400444261
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Pay grades or salary bands for current Special Advisors: FOI release

1. An updated list of all current Special Advisers (SpAds) employed by the Scottish Government. 2. The pay grades or salary bands for each individual SpAd.

FOI unclear 55 score 10 working days correspondence special advisers s.25(1)

Published: 2025-01-21
Reference: FOI/202400444257
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Scottish Ministers and disclosure checks: FOI release

1. Whether Scottish Ministers undergo any form of disclosure check before, during or after their appointment as a Scottish Minister. 2. If yes, please provide the outcomes of these checks for each current Scottish Minister. 3. Please also state whether the First Minister is aware of any criminal convictions (either s...

FOI not held 45 score 15 working days correspondence ministers s.15(1) s.17

Published: 2025-01-21
Reference: FOI/202400443080
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Former Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care correspondence: FOI release

All correspondence sent and received by the Scottish Government, including internally, all briefings, all analysis, all minutes/notes from meetings, about or from Michael Matheson, from between September 1 2024 and October 1.

FOI already published 80 score 19 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.25(1) s.36 s.30 s.38 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-21
Reference: FOI/202400442492
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Materials for the Scottish Government's public Ayr Cabinet Meeting: FOI release

Full minutes/briefings written for the Scottish Government's public Ayr Cabinet Meeting on November 4.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 23 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.29(1) s.30 s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-21
Reference: FOI/202400442735
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Communities and third sector, Public sector

Attendees at the First Minister's speech at the Royal Society of Edinburgh: FOI release

List of attendees at the First Minister's speech on 27 November 2024 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

FOI released 95 score 5 working days correspondence ministers 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-20
Reference: FOI/202400444418
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Scottish Government document download statistics: FOI release

Of all documents published by the Scottish Government on the Scottish Government website in the past year, please provide a breakdown of number of documents by the number of times they were downloaded. For example: Download Count Number of Documents 0 55 1 19 2 14 …. … [number of times the single most popular document...

FOI unclear 80 score 15 working days correspondence s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-20
Reference: FOI/202400442665
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government Marketing and Brand Team data: FOI release

The total amount of money spent by the Scottish Government’s Marketing and Brand Team in each of the following financial years: 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 so far. Please provide any breakdown of this spending where possible. The number of employees in the Scottish Government’s Marketing and Brand Team in eac...

FOI unclear 75 score 19 working days correspondence ministers spending 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-20
Reference: FOI/202400442234
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Former Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity correspondence: FOI release

All correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and Lorna Slater since 8 May 2024.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.38 s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-17
Reference: FOI/202400440037
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife correspondence: FOI release

All correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and Mark Ruskell since 8 May 2024.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.38 s.29(1) s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-17
Reference: FOI/202400440035
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

MSP for Central Scotland correspondence: FOI release

All correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and Gillian MacKay since 8 May 2024.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.38 s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-17
Reference: FOI/202400440036
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

MSP for Glasgow (Region) correspondence: FOI release

All correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and Patrick Harvie since 8 May 2024.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.38 s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-17
Reference: FOI/202400440051
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

MSP for Highlands and Islands (Region) correspondence: FOI release

All correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and Ariane Burgess since 8 May 2024.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.38 s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-01-17
Reference: FOI/202400440055
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector