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
72 matching releases

Various questions regarding COVID-19: FoI release

1. How many of Humza Yousaf's cabinet use their personal emails for government business? List of who does. 2. What was the final outcome of Ruth Charteris investigating into missing WhatsApps as referenced here: https://news.sky.com/story/scotlands-first-minister-humza-yousaf-to-fully-investigate-concerns-messages-not-...

FOI not held 70 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings spending whatsapp s.2 s.17(1) s.3 s.30 s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments
Published
2024-02-09
Reference
FOI/202400392573
Directorate
Covid Inquiries Response Directorate
Topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Health and social care, Public safety and emergencies, +1 more … Public sector

Information around devices supplied to Ministers: FOI release

Q1. What types of Government supplied devices are used by Government Ministers (including the First Minister) and Cabinet Secretaries? Q2. What applications are allowed to be installed on these devices? For example, Microsoft Word, Scotrail Timetable, Microsoft Outlook & Teams, iMessage or WhatsApp? Q3. What systems ...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers whatsapp s.30 s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2024-01-10
Reference
202200329558
Directorate
Digital Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence with residents effected by Storm Arwen: FOI release

How many residents affected by Storm Arwen were contacted by the Scottish Government for the purpose of conducting its Storm Arwen review. Please provide the number of residents contacted between 26 November 2021 and 27 January 2022. All correspondence between Scottish Government Ministers and residents affected by Sto...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 35 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings whatsapp s.17(1) 6 attachments
Published
2023-12-20
Reference
202200276452
Directorate
Performance, Delivery and Resilience Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence regarding Covid-19 Inquiry and social media messaging policy: FOI release

1. A full list of media requests to Jason Leitch, and Scottish Government ministers regarding the Covid Inquiry between Oct 25 and the date of this FOI. Can you include who the organisation is and whether they got accepted or rejected? 2. How many ministers requested exemptions from the Enterprise Vault back-up system...

FOI not held 70 score 20 working days correspondence ministers spending whatsapp s.25(1) s.17(1) s.17 6 attachments
Published
2023-12-11
Reference
FOI/202300383421
Directorate
Digital Directorate
Topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public sector

Resource Spending, Capital Spending and Medium-Term Financial Strategy : FOI release

1. All correspondence (including emails, attachments, typed or handwritten notes, letters, notes/records of phone calls, minutes of meetings, briefings, WhatsApp messages or otherwise) between the Scottish Government and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service regarding the Scottish Government’s Resource Spendin...

FOI already published 80 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending s.25 s.27(1) s.29(1) s.30 s.38(1) s.17(1) 4 attachments
Published
2023-12-08
Reference
202200303701
Directorate
Public Spending Directorate
Topic
Public sector

£20m independence fund: FOI release

What is the Scottish Government now doing with its £20m independence fund due to the Supreme Court ruling? If they are using it for independence how are you justifying it considering the Supreme Court ruled the government cannot legally legislate for a referendum? Any correspondence (including emails, WhatsApps) betwee...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending whatsapp s.25(1) s.30 s.36(1) s.38(1) s.17(1) 4 attachments
Published
2023-11-28
Reference
202200331939
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Legal advice on independence referendum: FOI release

The amount spent on legal advice regarding the Scottish Government’s prospectus for an independent Scotland between 07 September 2021 and the date of response to this inquiry? Any correspondence (including emails, attachments, typed or handwritten notes, letters, notes/records of phone calls, minutes of meetings, brief...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings meetings s.17 s.17(1) s.29(1) s.30 2 attachments
Published
2023-11-27
Reference
202200287065
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence between Minister for Trade and Tom Hunter Foundation: FOI release

All correspondence between Ivan McKee, Minister for Trade, Innovation and his civil servants, and Tom Hunter of the Hunter Foundation. I am looking for copies of all letters, emails, minutes of meetings, presentations, reports, and messages via Whatsapp, Signal or similar from April 2019 until May 2021.

FOI not held 70 score 332 working days over deadline correspondence ministers meetings whatsapp s.17(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments
Published
2023-11-10
Reference
202100210817
Directorate
Economic Development Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Minutes of meetings Humza Yousaf and Sir Peter Mathieson: FOI Release

1. Minutes from the meeting Humza Yousaf held with Sir Peter Mathieson, Edinburgh University principal in May. 2. All correspondence about or from Martin Compston received or sent by the Scottish Government between May 2022 and the date of this FOI. 3. All correspondence about or from Mick Lynch received or sent by the...

FOI not held 70 score 17 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending s.38(1) s.30 s.34(1) s.12 s.17(1) 6 attachments
Published
2023-10-25
Reference
FOI/202300367990
Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Income tax budget: FOI release

Has the Scottish Government done any modelling on behavioural change as a result of the income tax rises voted through at Holyrood? If so can it be supplied and if not, an explanation why not? What were the options discussed by ministers for changing the income tax for the 2023 budgets? All correspondence (including em...

FOI not held 70 score 32 working days over deadline correspondence ministers meetings whatsapp s.25(1) s.30 s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-24
Reference
202300342976
Directorate
Tax Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Withdrawal from Westminster – a New Partnership Agreement: FOI Release

Has the Scottish Government or officials begun work preparing the Withdrawal from Westminster – a New Partnership Agreement framework announced by the First Minister at the SNP independence convention in Dundee last month? If work has begun, how many officials have been assigned to work on the document? Could you ple...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers whatsapp s.29(1) s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2023-10-05
Reference
FOI - 202300367110
Directorate
Constitution Directorate
Topic
Public sector

The role of Director General (DG) Strategy and External Affairs: FOI release

Your request was for: All emails, Whatsapp messages, Teams messages, notes pertaining to the redeployment of Joe Griffin to the role of DG Strategy and External Affairs Policies, guidance or otherwise in place pertaining to the redeployment, transfer, lateral move of an SCS individual in the Scottish Government to ano...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence whatsapp s.38(1) s.34(1) s.30 s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2023-09-19
Reference
FOI/202300365506
Directorate
People Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

Information pertaining to Ferguson Marine: FOI release

1. All correspondence (emails, text, whatsapps) mentioning a public inquiry into Ferguson Marine received and sent by the Scottish Government/Transport Scotland sent between February 1 and June 1. 2. Could you supply a copy of the value for money report written for the unnamed Hull 802 which Neil Gray used to give his ...

FOI unclear 55 score 13 working days correspondence ministers whatsapp s.17(1) s.25(1)
Published
2023-09-14
Reference
FOI/202300371973
Directorate
Economic Development Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence between the First Minister and Patrick Harvie, Andrew Wilson and Ian Blackford: FOI review

In your original request, dated 5 January 2023, you asked for: any correspondence between the First Minister, either directly, on her behalf, or by her office or assistants, and Patrick Harvie of the Scottish Greens between 01-June-2021 and 31-August- 2021. This would include all correspondence, ie emails, texts, dire...

FOI cost limit 45 score 19 working days correspondence ministers spending whatsapp s.12 s.17(1)
Published
2023-09-12
Reference
202300343738 review of 202300336762
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Information pertaining to the Aviation Working Group: FOI release

1. The date, time, location, attendance list, minutes, notes, agendas, handouts, presentations or memos for any meeting of the aviation working group announced by then Transport minister Michael Matheson in February, 2021. 2. Any correspondence within the Scottish Government between ministers, ministerial offices, spe...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers meetings whatsapp s.38(1) s.30 s.17(1) 4 attachments
Published
2021-10-07
Reference
FOI/202100231558
Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Correspondence regarding Scottish Conservative Conference: FOI release

1. Any correspondence (emails, letters, text messages, WhatsApp messages, phone calls or otherwise) between Ministers (including the First Minister), Special Advisors and civil servants in the Scottish Government Press Office concerning the Scottish Conservative Conference, held between Friday 20 November and Saturday ...

FOI not held 70 score 23 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings whatsapp s.25(1) s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2021-02-25
Reference
FOI/202000129480
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence relating to the launch of Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB): FOI release

1. Any correspondence (emails, letters, text messages, WhatsApp messages, phone calls or otherwise) between Ministers (including the First Minister), Special Advisors and civil servants in the Scottish Government Press Office concerning the official launch of the Scottish National Investment Bank on 23 November 2020. 2...

FOI transferred 80 score 31 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings whatsapp s.17(1) s.27(1) s.30 s.33(1) s.38(1) s.39(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments
Published
2021-02-11
Reference
FOI/202000129473
Directorate
Topic
Business, industry and innovation, Money and tax, Public sector

FOI request 202000077960 regarding Former First Minister various questions: FOI release

"I note the above Freedom of Information request answered on 23rd September Secondly, which official/officials provided the information which suggested the November 9th date? And on whose instruction was it included in the answer? Thirdly, and please treat this last point as an FOI in itself as well as a question, kind...

FOI already published 80 score 85 working days over deadline correspondence ministers whatsapp s.17(1) s.25 s.25(1) s.36(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments
Published
2021-02-04
Reference
FOI/202000093492
Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence with Roddy Dunlop QC: FOI release

The content of all correspondence between the Scottish government and Roddy Dunlop QC during the month of December 2019. This should include the content of any emails, handwritten notes, text, WhatsApp or other electronic messages.

FOI unclear 55 score 23 working days over deadline correspondence whatsapp s.17(1)
Published
2021-01-19
Reference
FOI/202000127034
Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence regarding polling by Ipsos Mori/STV News: FOI release

You asked for details on: Any Scottish Government emails from 11-15 October 2020 (inclusive), either internal or external, concerning polling by Ipsos Mori/STV News or news inquiries or news coverage related to this polling. Please also include attachments to these emails. Any briefings or notes provided to Scottish ...

FOI released 100 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings whatsapp s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2020-12-04
Reference
FOI/202000098657
Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Harassment complaints: FOI release

-All correspondence between the Scottish Government and the SNP regarding concerns/complaints made about Alex Salmond. This should date back to 2017 when ‘concerns’ were first raised about the former first minister, to the present day. This should include all emails, documents, minutes of meetings/phone calls, text and...

FOI unclear 55 score 19 working days correspondence ministers meetings whatsapp s.17(1)
Published
2020-10-05
Reference
FOI/202000085367
Directorate
Topic
Equality and rights, Public sector

Senior Civil Servants' mobile devices and apps: FOI release

You asked for: How many mobile devices have been issued to Scottish Government ministers and senior civil servants, at Senior Civil Service (SCS) Grade 2 and above and are currently in regular use? Please provide a list of all the apps installed on these Scottish Government issued mobile phones identified above, along...

FOI released 75 score correspondence ministers whatsapp s.17(1)
Published
2017-11-16
Reference
Directorate
Digital Directorate
Topic
Public sector