Scottish Government FOI Index

18,099releases indexed

29,946attachments found

29.8avg calendar days

6,650partially withheld

2019-05-15oldest in sample

2026-05-15newest in sample

Outcomes

partially withheld 6,650 unclear 6,023 not held 2,568 released 1,213 already published 588 cost limit 504 clarification 288 withheld 199 transferred 66

Top Exemptions

s.38(1) 4133 s.20 3541 s.34(1) 3273 s.39(2) 2802 s.30 2391 s.17(1) 2346 s.25(1) 1993 s.10(4) 1663 s.11(2) 1363 s.2 986 s.29(1) 969 s.3 758

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 1,053 releases · 28.0 avg days Energy and Climate Change Directorate 833 releases · 31.1 avg days Marine Directorate 741 releases · 29.0 avg days Learning Directorate 657 releases · 34.7 avg days Population Health Directorate 577 releases · 28.9 avg days Constitution Directorate 553 releases · 36.5 avg days Economic Development Directorate 545 releases · 40.3 avg days People Directorate 513 releases · 25.9 avg days

Clear

9 matching releases

Clyde cod licence condition information: EIR release

Application of the Precautionary Principle 1. What assessment was undertaken of the risk of serious or irreversible harm to Clyde cod when determining that the revoked Order would be replaced with a voluntary seasonal closure rather than binding protective measures? 2. How did Ministers assess whether the measures ad...

FOI/EIR clarification 80 score 31 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending s.9 s.12 s.20 s.39(2) s.10(4) 2 attachments

Published: 2026-05-11
Reference: EIR/202600509432
Directorate: Environment and Forestry Directorate
Topic: Environment and climate change, Marine and fisheries, Public sector

Population and advice on herring gulls and black backed gulls: EIR release

1. ‘Health Risks I would be grateful to view all documents comprising any analysis or other consideration of the health risks to humans posed by gulls, including risk of falls from swooping attacks, risks of ingestion of gull droppings, risks of respiratory and water based infections, including Histoplasmosis, Cryptoc...

FOI/EIR clarification 80 score 33 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings s.20 s.39(2) s.10(4) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-11-03
Reference: FOI/202500474601
Directorate: Environment and Forestry Directorate
Topic: Environment and climate change, Public sector

Freedom of Information (FOI) statistics: FOI release

1) The total number of FOI responses issued by the Scottish Government. 2) The number of FOI responses that were referred to a Special Adviser for review or comment prior to release. 3) The number of FOI responses that were referred for Ministerial approval or sign-off prior to release. 4) If recorded, the number of...

FOI/EIR clarification 55 score 14 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending s.20 s.12

Published: 2025-09-25
Reference: FOI/202500471350
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Green Volt Project correspondence: EIR release

“May I request the following information under freedom of information legislation: All email or letter correspondence received by the Scottish Government from external organisations relating to the Green Volt Project since 15 January 2023. For Scottish Ministers and special advisers, all instant message exchanges the...

FOI/EIR clarification 80 score 19 working days correspondence ministers special advisers meetings spending s.20 s.39(2) s.10(4) s.11(2) s.7 s.34(1) 14 attachments

Published: 2025-03-27
Reference: FOI/202400434817
Directorate: Marine Directorate
Topic: Marine and fisheries, Public sector

Special Advisers relationship with Freedom of Information requests: FOI Review

Original request 202500447375 1) It is a requirement that SPADs and/or the FM's chief of staff clear FOI responses from civil servants in the FOI unit? 2) How many FOIs were received by the Scottish Government in 2024, and how many of these were cleared by SPADs and/or FM's chief of staff before release? 3) What is ...

FOI clarification 50 score 8 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings spending

Published: 2025-03-25
Reference: FOI/202500452341 Review of 202500447375
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Former First Minister correspondence on Gaza: FOI Review

Original request 202400393608 1. On the 17th October 2023, Humza Yousaf, during his speech to the SNP conference in Aberdeen, called on the UK Government ‘To support the medical evacuation of injured civilians in Gaza’. As SNP party leader, he said, ‘Let me be clear, Scotland is ready to play her part and our hospital...

FOI clarification 80 score 27 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers meetings s.38(1) s.34(1) s.29(1) s.30 s.28(1) s.25 s.25(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2024-09-12
Reference: FOI/202400402356 Review of 202400393608
Directorate
Topic: International, Public sector

Correspondence with SG Interim Chief Statistician and members of the SG: FOI release

All email correspondence between the Scottish Government's Interim Chief Statistician, Ally McAlpine, and members of the Scottish Government (including Ministers, Civil Servants, and Special Advisers) from 1st April 2022 until 25th October 2022. You provided clarification on 26 October that the information you are req...

FOI clarification 80 score 17 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.38(1) s.29(1) s.30 s.20 2 attachments

Published: 2023-12-05
Reference: 202200326705
Directorate: Digital Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Communication regarding the reform of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and Education Scotland: FOI release

"All communications between ministers and/or special advisers and/or PR/comms staff” and that the request “related to internal communications regarding the recently published report by Professor Ken Muir into the reform of the SQA and Education Scotland”. You noted that the request “would include attachments to relevan...

FOI clarification 55 score 26 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers meetings s.25(1) s.38(1) s.34(1) s.29(1)

Published: 2022-08-10
Reference: FOI/202200300655
Directorate
Topic: Education, Public sector

Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme – various questions: FOI release

You asked for recorded information held by the Scottish Government that relates to the operation of the Help to Buy scheme, specifically: 1. Copies of all meeting notes, agendas, power point presentations or other materials produced / consumed by members of the Help to Buy (Scotland) Working group since August 23 2017....

FOI clarification 55 score 25 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers meetings s.3 s.38(1) s.34(1)

Published: 2019-11-13
Reference: FOI/201900004933
Directorate
Topic: Housing, Money and tax, Public sector