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
161 matching releases

Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358388
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

The staff structure for the First Minister office: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the First Minister office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay grades for each staff member ...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358367
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public Sector

The staff structure for the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition office: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. T...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358371
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public Sector

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Governmen...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358351
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay g...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358354
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay grades...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358384
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Parliamentary Business office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Parliamentary Business office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay grades f...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358386
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scot...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358394
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Govern...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358396
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Housing office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Housing office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay grades for each staff m...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358399
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. ...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358390
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Higher and Further Education and Minister for Veterans office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Higher and Further Education and Minister for Veterans office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scotti...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-18
Reference
202300358391
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pa...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-17
Reference
202300358407
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Independence office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Independence office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay grades for each st...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-17
Reference
202300358401
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-17
Reference
202300358404
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

The staff structure for the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice office: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay grades ...

FOI unclear 75 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-17
Reference
202300358369
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public Sector

Minister for Energy office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Minister for Energy office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Government. The pay grades for each staff me...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-17
Reference
202300358406
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy office staff structure: FOI release

The staff structure/organogram (giving job titles, not names of individuals) for the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy office, including both civil service and political staff, and (ii) the wider and complete political staff structure/organogram (special advisors) of the current Scottish Gov...

FOI unclear 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-17
Reference
202300358374
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence regarding the Scottish Conservatives Removal of Office and Recall Bill: FOI release

Copies of any correspondence (briefing, letters, emails, handwritten notes, memos, minutes of calls, minutes of meetings, attachments and/ore otherwise) from and/or to civil servants and/or Special Advisers and/or Scottish Government MSPs regarding the Scottish Conservatives Removal of Office and Recall Bill.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 13 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings meetings s.29(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-16
Reference
202300361918
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence between Scottish Government ministers and Kevin Pringle: FOI release

You asked for any correspondence between Scottish Government ministers [or Scottish Government special advisers] and the recently appointed head of communications and strategic political adviser, Kevin Pringle, from 30 March 2023 to present.

FOI released 100 score 17 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.20 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-12
Reference
202300360953
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Special Adviser's annual leave: FOI release

May I request the following information under freedom of information legislation: Dates of annual leave taken by any Scottish Government Special Adviser between 14 February 2023 and 27 March 2023. The date of when a request to take annual leave was submitted by a Special Adviser who has taken off annual leave during t...

FOI unclear 50 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence special advisers
Published
2023-09-15
Reference
202300347921
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Scottish Information Commissioner (SIC) ruling 004/2023: FOI release

The cost of any legal advice - either from the Scottish Government's legal directorate or from external advisers/counsel - in regards to the decision to challenge the SIC ruling 004/2023. Any internal correspondence among senior civil servants, special advisers, and ministers (including any attachments or referenced br...

FOI withheld 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings spending s.36(1)
Published
2023-08-29
Reference
FOI/202300368377
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Press officers and special advisors: FOI release

1. How many press officers and special advisers are currently (date of this FOI) employed by the Scottish Government? Breakdown of both categories. 2. How many of both categories were employed in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021? 3. How many special advisers does Nicola Sturgeon have? How many does each minister have? How much a...

FOI partially withheld 65 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending s.2 s.6 s.25(1) s.27(1)
Published
2022-11-17
Reference
FOI/202200325260
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence regarding Conservative Party: FOI release

Internal correspondence between the press office and from the press office to special advisers and Scottish Ministers on the Conservative conference or the Conservatives generally during September or October 2021.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.38(1) s.30 4 attachments
Published
2022-05-23
Reference
FOI/202200291454
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

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