Scottish Government FOI Index

19,099releases indexed

31,532attachments found

29.7avg calendar days

7,049partially withheld

2018-11-16oldest in sample

2026-05-15newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 7,049 unclear 6,352 not held 2,688 released 1,289 already published 610 cost limit 529 clarification 306 withheld 208 transferred 68

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 4381 s.20 3726 s.34(1) 3480 s.39(2) 2967 s.30 2536 s.17(1) 2457 s.25(1) 2090 s.10(4) 1747 s.11(2) 1413 s.29(1) 1021 s.2 1021 s.3 800

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 1,082 releases · 27.9 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 858 releases · 31.1 avg days Marine Directorate 802 releases · 29.6 avg days Learning Directorate 714 releases · 34.4 avg days Population Health Directorate 607 releases · 28.7 avg days Economic Development Directorate 577 releases · 40.0 avg days Constitution Directorate 573 releases · 36.1 avg days People Directorate 536 releases · 25.8 avg days

Clear

30 matching releases

Information regarding the Cabinet Secretary for Housing's former role as a Special Adviser: FOI release

I would like some info re Mhairi McAllan: 1. When was she appointed as a Special Adviser? 2. What was her role as a Special Adviser? 3. When did she cease being a Senior Adviser?

FOI unclear 50 score 15 working days correspondence ministers special advisers

Published: 2026-05-11
Reference: FOI/202600501269
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Formal complaints made about the behaviour of Special Advisers: FOI Review

Original request: 202500489885 1. The total number of formal complaints made about the behaviour of Special Advisers, broken down by year 2. For each complaint: The nature/category of the complaint (e.g. bullying, harassment, unprofessional behaviour, etc.). The outcome of the complaint (e.g. upheld, partially uphel...

FOI withheld 80 score 20 working days correspondence special advisers s.38(1) s.34(1) s.30 2 attachments

Published: 2026-02-16
Reference: FOI/202500489885 review of 202500485300
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Scottish Government employees receiving compensation for losing their position: FOI release

Information over the names of MSPs, ministers or other officials including civil servants and staff who have received any payment related to losing any official position, by way of a compensation or pay off for each year since and including 2017 and can it be made clear whether the payments were contractual or otherwis...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers contracts spending s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2026-01-13
Reference: FOI/202500483313
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Formal complaints made about the behaviour of Special Advisers: FOI release

Please provide the following in relation to Special Advisers employed by the Scottish Government from 1 May 2021 to the present: 1. The total number of formal complaints made about the behaviour of Special Advisers, broken down by year. 2. For each complaint: The nature/category of the complaint (e.g. bullying, hara...

FOI withheld 55 score 20 working days correspondence special advisers contracts s.38(1) s.34(1)

Published: 2026-01-13
Reference: 202500485300
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Formal complaints regarding Special Advisers: FOI release

Whether any formal complaints have been made about the behaviour of Special Advisers since 1 May 2021 (including bullying, unprofessional behaviour, harassment, or any other type of complaint) from any staff member employed by the Scottish Government or its public bodies. If any were made, please indicate how they were...

FOI withheld 55 score 17 working days correspondence special advisers s.38(1) s.34(1)

Published: 2025-08-18
Reference: FOI/202500474757
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Land Commission Chair Appointment: FOI release

Information regarding correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and officials with reference to the proposed appointment of Michael Russell as Chair of the Scottish Land Commission. You requested disclosure of any emails, letters or messages sent between Scottish Government Ministers or officials, including ...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-02-25
Reference: FOI/202400395590
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Date specific Special Adviser commenced role: FOI release

What date did Olaf Stando begin his role as Special Adviser to the First Minister?

FOI unclear 50 score 2 working days correspondence ministers special advisers

Published: 2024-12-17
Reference: FOI/202400441696
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Special Adviser (SpAd) Register of interests and Severance Pay: FOI Release

1. Could you supply the updated special adviser register of interests? 2. How much has been spent on paying off/severance payments for special advisers, in each of the last three years, with a breakdown by year and by how much each special adviser got?

FOI partially withheld 90 score 12 working days correspondence special advisers spending s.25(1) s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2024-09-18
Reference: FOI/202400425442
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Special Advisers Termination of Employment: FOI release

Total contractual payments made (where applicable) on termination of employment for special advisers in 2024 in respect of: Accrued but untaken holiday pay unpaid wages Payment received instead of working a notice period, e.g. payment in lieu of notice (PILON)

FOI released 70 score 10 working days correspondence ministers special advisers contracts spending

Published: 2024-09-03
Reference: FOI/202400414780
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Register of interests for Special Advisers: FOI release

A copy of the most up-to-date register of interests for Special Advisers.

FOI partially withheld 85 score 15 working days correspondence special advisers 2 attachments

Published: 2024-05-09
Reference: FOI/202300386626
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Civil servant wages: FOI release

1. How much is the Scottish Government spending on wages of civil servants now, and in each of the following years: 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022? Breakdown of these costs and how many there are employed? 2. How much is the Scottish Government spending on special advisers and press officers now, including how many of each...

FOI already published 55 score 24 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers meetings spending s.25(1) s.27(1) s.17(1) s.12 s.30

Published: 2024-04-18
Reference: FOI/202300389550
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Residence of Scottish Government Special Advisors: FOI release

1. The number of current Scottish Government Special Advisors who have their permanent residence outside of Scotland. 2. The number of current Scottish Government Special Advisors who have undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from non-Scottish Universities, broken down into a table, and listing the universities in q...

FOI unclear 55 score 11 working days correspondence special advisers s.17(1)

Published: 2024-04-15
Reference: FOI/202400403406
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Education, Public sector

Special Advisors employed by Scottish Government: FOI release

How many special advisers does the Scottish Government currently employ, broken down by (a) portfolio, (b) job tile, and (c) pay grade?

FOI unclear 55 score 8 working days correspondence special advisers s.25(1)

Published: 2024-02-27
Reference: FOI/202400392620
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Mairi McAllan resignation date as Special Adviser: FOI release

The date of Mairi McAllan’s resignation as a Special Adviser to the Scottish Government.

FOI unclear 50 score 11 working days correspondence special advisers

Published: 2023-11-24
Reference: 202200332687
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

People employed by the Scottish Government as Special Advisors: FOI release

Please could you tell me how many people have been employed by the Scottish Government as Special Advisors over the last ten years. Please could you provide this as a total number for each financial year beginning in 2013-14 to present. Could you also provide the total cost each year for the salaries of that group of e...

FOI unclear 50 score 18 working days correspondence special advisers contracts spending

Published: 2023-11-14
Reference: 202300343171
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Mairi McAllan Severance Pay: FOI release

The amount of severance pay Màiri McAllan received when she resigned as a Scottish Government Special Advisor on 5 March 2021.

FOI unclear 50 score 10 working days correspondence special advisers contracts spending

Published: 2023-11-14
Reference: FOI/202300376295
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Meta data request for FOI: 202100233415: FOI release

“Any correspondence, including any attachments to correspondence, concerning the handling of FOI request reference: 202100233415 where a special adviser, minister, or ministerial private office was cc-ed or bcc-ed in on the correspondence.”

FOI partially withheld 90 score 16 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2023-07-19
Reference: FOI/202300363591
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Staff members of Scottish Government diagnosed with Dyslexia: FOI release

How many of the Scottish Government’s Special Advisors and highest level staff have been diagnosed with dyslexia, or other neuro-diverse diagnoses?

FOI unclear 50 score 6 working days correspondence special advisers

Published: 2021-12-20
Reference: FOI/202100255153
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Informal requests received from 31 October 2018 onwards: FOI release

FOI202100191813 “Thanks for you work on my behalf. I apologise for my carelessness in this foi. In fact Clegg says that the Record (so not just Clegg) made requests (so not formal foi’s necessarily). Can I ask whether there were any informal requests from 31 October. Maybe you considered this, but if not, can you accep...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 40 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers briefings s.17(1) s.30 s.36(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2021-06-10
Reference: FOI/202100191813, 202100194412 and 202100195519
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Costs of legal advice provided to special advisers for harassment inquiry: FOI release

The total cost, to date, of providing external legal services/advice to Scottish Government special advisers related to the Scottish Parliament's Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints. This should include all legal services related to the inquiry, such as providing personal legal advice...

FOI unclear 50 score 26 working days over deadline correspondence special advisers spending

Published: 2021-04-21
Reference: FOI/202100158578
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Law and order, Public sector

Number of civil servants and special advisers employed in specific directorates: FOI release

1. How many civil servants and special advisors worked directly in the following Scottish Government directorates in each of the past five financial years to date. For 2020-21 please give the most recent figure at time of response. Please breakdown the figures by number of civil servants and number of special advisors ...

FOI released 100 score 16 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2021-02-02
Reference: FOI/202000110675
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government procedure of recording financial interests of National Clinical Directors: FOI release

What is the minimal financial value (in pounds Sterling) that requires a National Clinical Director in Scotland to register a personal financial interest with the Scottish Government, such that this financial interest is recorded on Scottish Government systems. You said that this FIOSA 2002 request pre-supposes that th...

FOI unclear 55 score 6 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.17(1)

Published: 2020-11-11
Reference: FOI/202000088601
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Health and social care, Money and tax, Public sector, +1 more … Work and skills

Resignations by special advisors working for the Scottish Government: FOI release

Your request was as follows: “May I request the following information under freedom of information legislation: 1. The number of resignations by special advisors working for the Scottish Government for the financial years of 16/17, 17/18, 18/19, 19/20 and the number so far in 20/21. 2. The reasons for these resignat...

FOI partially withheld 65 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence special advisers contracts s.38

Published: 2020-11-06
Reference: FOI/202000087360
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Records of bullying, harassment or abuse allegations: FOI release

Any record of bullying, harassment or abuse allegations made against Scottish Government ministers, whether proved or disproved. Please limit to the time period 3 May 2007 to present. · Any record of bullying, harassment or abuse allegations made against Director-Generals or Directors, whether proved or disproved. Plea...

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

Published: 2020-07-13
Reference: FOI/202000018100
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Employees on secondment at the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland: FOI release

The number of Scottish Government Staff who are seconded to the Scotland Office/Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland – Civil Servants, Special Advisers and Other staff.

FOI unclear 50 score 16 working days correspondence special advisers

Published: 2019-10-25
Reference: FOI/19/02216
Directorate: People Directorate
Topic: Public sector