Scottish Government FOI Index

17,099releases indexed

27,856attachments found

30.0avg calendar days

6,297partially withheld

2020-01-10oldest in sample

2026-05-15newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 6,297 unclear 5,710 not held 2,434 released 1,096 already published 565 cost limit 491 clarification 264 withheld 186 transferred 56

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 3926 s.20 3344 s.34(1) 3080 s.39(2) 2635 s.30 2273 s.17(1) 2227 s.25(1) 1918 s.10(4) 1572 s.11(2) 1292 s.2 942 s.29(1) 927 s.3 712

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 1,007 releases · 28.2 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 813 releases · 30.8 avg days Marine Directorate 678 releases · 28.5 avg days Learning Directorate 617 releases · 35.4 avg days Population Health Directorate 557 releases · 29.0 avg days Constitution Directorate 532 releases · 36.5 avg days Economic Development Directorate 516 releases · 40.0 avg days Local Government and Housing Directorate 513 releases · 29.3 avg days

Clear

16 matching releases

Your Right to Decide correspondence and meeting information: FOI release

1) All correspondence between the First Minister (and his office) and officials working in the Scottish Government’s Constitution Directorate since 6 May 2025. This should include emails, meetings of any kind, letters or phone calls. 2) How many meetings Scottish Ministers attended to discuss the Your Right to Decide ...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.2 s.38(1) s.34(1) s.17(1) s.30 4 attachments

Published: 2026-01-14
Reference: FOI/202500486711
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Cost of the Building a New Scotland series and the number of staff in the Constitutional Futures Division: FOI release

1) Since 2011, an annual breakdown of costs associated with the production of the White Paper on Independence or Independence Papers as part of the Building a New Scotland Series. 2) Over the same time period, an annual breakdown of the number of Civil Servants working in the Government's "Scottish Government’s Consti...

FOI unclear 55 score 18 working days correspondence ministers spending s.2 s.3 s.17(1)

Published: 2024-10-04
Reference: FOI/202400425685
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Independence, the common travel area and Simon Case: FOI release

1. Could you supply all correspondence and briefings held by the Scottish Government about staying in the common travel area after independence, have you asked the UK Government about this and if so, could you supply any documentation about this? Between June 1 2023 and the date of this FOI. 2. Have the Scottish Gover...

FOI cost limit 70 score 19 working days correspondence briefings meetings spending s.38 s.2 s.17(1) s.25(1) s.28(1) s.30 2 attachments

Published: 2024-08-30
Reference: FOI/202400402326
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence regarding Independent Scotland: FOI release

1.All meetings held or attended by Jamie Hepburn between July 1 2023 and the date of this FOI, including minutes/notes from them, and a list of attendees. 2. How many social media videos about independence have been created by the Scottish Government so far this year? List of these videos and the costs of creating the...

FOI not held 70 score 27 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending s.2 s.5T s.17(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) s.30 s.25(1) s.36(1) s.12 4 attachments

Published: 2024-08-14
Reference: FOI/202300377797
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Cost of preparing Building a New Scotland publication: FOI release

1. How much money was spent on writing and developing the Building a New Scotland- A stronger economy with independence prospectus? Breakdown of these costs. 2. How much money was spent on writing and developing the second independence and first independence prospectuses in the series and breakdown of these costs? 3....

FOI unclear 55 score 26 working days over deadline correspondence ministers meetings contracts spending s.2 s.17(1)

Published: 2023-11-14
Reference: 202200325194
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Correspondence relating to UK Internal Market Act Exclusions: FOI release

1. Please could you supply me with all correspondence held by the Scottish Government from the UK Government that sets out implementation, guidance and exemption application procedures required by the Act, as set out here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/27/section/10/enacted 2. Please could you confirm the ...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers s.10 s.18 s.2 s.25(1) s.28(1) s.30 s.33(1) 4 attachments

Published: 2023-06-21
Reference: FOI/202300357760
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Average response times for an FOI request: FOI release

1) The mean, median and maximum response times for an FOI to the Scottish Government over the last 12 months. 2) The number and percentage of FOIs that were referred to Special Advisers for each month of the last five years. 3) The mean, median and maximum response times for all FOIs referred to Special Advisers over t...

FOI/EIR not held 70 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers s.2 s.3 s.20 s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2023-05-25
Reference: FOI/202300352495
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Social media independence spend: FOI release

1. How much money has the Scottish Government spent on creating social media videos about independence? A breakdown of these figures. 2. How many videos has the Scottish Government created about independence in 2021 and 2022 and a list of these videos? 3. Who created the videos and how many people were involved in crea...

FOI unclear 55 score correspondence ministers spending s.2 s.1 s.17(1)

Published: 2022-11-30
Reference: FOI/202200327588
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector

FOI response times: FOI release

1. The mean, median and maximum response times for an FOI to the Scottish Government over the last 12 months. 2. Over the last 12 months, the mean, median and maximum response time for an FOI to the Scottish Government lodged by an email address with an @parliament.scot domain. 3. Over the last 12 months, the mean, med...

FOI/EIR cost limit 45 score 20 working days correspondence spending s.2 s.20 s.12

Published: 2022-11-17
Reference: FOI/202200324644
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector

External legal advice incurred relating to Referendum: FOI release

1) The cost of all external legal advice incurred by the Scottish Government producing the Lord Advocate’s written case to the Supreme Court on the question of whether a referendum on Scottish independence relates to reserved matters. 2) If possible, the lawyers/firms in receipt of the funds the Scottish Government pro...

FOI already published 80 score 20 working days correspondence spending s.2 s.27 s.25(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2022-10-05
Reference: FOI/202200312733
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Correspondence with Lord Advocate regarding the Supreme Court: FOI release

1) Any correspondence, including meetings, notes, memos, agendas, ministerial briefings and minutes, between the Scottish Government and the office of the Lord Advocate on the topic of the Lord Advocate's reference to the Supreme Court between January 1, 2022 and June 28, 2022. This should include any emails, letters, ...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings meetings s.2 s.36(1) s.30 s.38(1) s.25(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2022-08-22
Reference: FOI/202200312193
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government compliance with specific acts: FOI release

1. Does the Scottish government comply with the bill of exchange act 1882?? 2. Does the Scottish government have the slavery act 2015 in its policy?? 3. Is the council tax a lawful contract or a legislative statute?? 4. As a sovereign scot see treaty of Arbroath confirmed by first minister Nicola.Sturgeon.msp@parliamen...

FOI not held 45 score 85 working days over deadline correspondence ministers contracts s.17(1) s.2

Published: 2022-02-09
Reference: FOI/202100242704
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Covid-19 briefings relating to restrictions: FOI release

1. Minutes from any formal four nations discussions with Michael Gove and other representatives from UK, Welsh Governments and Northern Ireland executive between October 1 and January 15 on the topic of Covid-19 and four nations alignment on restrictions/measures. 2. Notes taken by Scottish Government staff or minister...

FOI not held 70 score 80 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers briefings meetings s.2 s.3 s.1 s.17(1) s.28(1) s.29(1) s.30 s.3(2) 2 attachments

Published: 2021-06-15
Reference: FOI/202100164644 review of 202100140372
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public sector

EU flag on Scottish Government buildings: FOI release

Information regarding the flying of the EU flag on Scottish Government buildings.

FOI withheld 55 score 18 working days correspondence ministers meetings spending s.30 s.2

Published: 2021-04-12
Reference: FOI/202100163181
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, 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

Four nation discussions of COVID-19 and alignment of restrictions: FOI release

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers briefings meetings s.2 s.3 s.28(1) s.29(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2021-03-04
Reference: FOI/20210014372
Directorate: Constitution Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public sector