Scottish Government FOI Index

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

1,607 matching releases

Costs of creating the new position of Cabinet Secretary for Housing: FOI release

The cost of creating the new position of Cabinet Secretary for Housing. Please break down all costs involved, including, for example, creating new office space, buying new stationery, hiring new staff or special advisers, purchasing new signage or business cards, etc.

FOI unclear 55 score 15 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-10-22
Reference: FOI/202500476510
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Capital expenditure debt limit materials sent to the First Minister: FOI release

1. Any internal reports, briefings, memos, emails, or other correspondence sent or received by the first minister from 1 January 2024 to the present that relate to financial planning, forecasting, or contingency measures in the event that the Scottish Government reaches or approaches its legally defined capital expendi...

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

Published: 2025-10-22
Reference: FOI/202500476292
Directorate: Exchequer Strategy Directorate
Topic: Economy, Public sector

Ministerial correspondence with Salmon Scotland Chief Executive: EIR Review

Original Request - 202500471588 Written correspondence including (but not limited to) letters, emails, texts and WhatsApp messages, on any subject, from or to Salmon Scotland Chief Executive Tavish Scott, from or to the First Minister, Scottish Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers, Scottish Government Special Advisers, F...

FOI/EIR unclear 80 score 41 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers whatsapp s.20 s.11(2) s.34(1) 4 attachments

Published: 2025-10-22
Reference: FOI/202500476396 Review of 202500471588
Directorate: Marine Directorate
Topic: Marine and fisheries, Public sector

Publication of Islands Connectivity Plan and Strategic Approach: FOI release

The following information on the publication of the Islands Connectivity Plan – Strategic Approach document: Which, if any, external stakeholders (Ferry Users Groups/committees, MSPs, councillors, ferries community board members, etc) were made aware of the document’s publication? Copies of internal discussion of the ...

FOI unclear 75 score 16 working days correspondence ministers meetings 2 attachments

Published: 2025-10-20
Reference: FOI/202500476240
Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Transport

Scottish Government bonds: FOI release

1. How many civil servants are involved in progressing the initiative? 2. How many government ministers are involved, and who are they? 3. What decisions have been taken thus far? 4. When the first bonds are due to be issued? 5. Whether or not the UK Government has been consulted and if so, how and when? 6. The re...

FOI unclear 55 score 19 working days correspondence ministers s.2

Published: 2025-10-20
Reference: FOI/202500476091
Directorate: Exchequer Strategy Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Disclosure Scotland board information: FOI release

You asked some questions about Disclosure Scotland’s Board. Please advise how many board members/trustees/executive directors/non-executive directors are paid by the Quango. What their duties are? How many hours they are required to work? What expenses do they receive? I'd also like to know why no-one takes the slight...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence ministers meetings contracts

Published: 2025-10-16
Reference: FOI/202500473448
Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Education Scotland policy reviews since UK Supreme Court decision: FOI release

I am writing to request the following information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Following the 2024 UK Supreme Court ruling in R (on the application of For Women Scotland) v Scottish Ministers, the legal definition of “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 has been confirmed to mean biological sex. This...

FOI unclear 55 score 25 working days over deadline correspondence ministers meetings s.17(1)

Published: 2025-10-16
Reference: FOI/202500472710
Directorate
Topic: Education, Equality and rights, Public sector

Scotland 2050 Conference costs and attendees: FOI release

1. A list of people and organisations that the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister met with while attending the Scotland 2050 Conference on 17 June 2025. 2. Whether the First Minister met with the sponsors of the Scotland 2050 Conference while attending the event, and who he met with. 3. Whether the Scottish...

FOI unclear 50 score 10 working days correspondence ministers spending

Published: 2025-10-16
Reference: FOI/202500476491
Directorate: Performance, Delivery and Resilience Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Concessionary travel cards and antisocial behaviour: FOI release

All documentation held by Transport Scotland, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings and analysis, about John Swinney's vow to remove free bus entitlement from under-22s if they misbehave, as stated here:https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/bus-pas...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending

Published: 2025-10-16
Reference: FOI/202500474869
Directorate
Topic: Law and order, Public sector, Transport

Statutory Boards of Public Bodies information: FOI release

How many people were removed from office by Scottish Ministers from Statutory Boards of Public Bodies in Scotland in each calendar year from 2020 to 2025 to date. Please break this down by the reason for their removal, the Public Body they were removed from, and the Minister who removed them.

FOI unclear 50 score 18 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-10-15
Reference: FOI/202500473604
Directorate: Public Service Reform Directorate
Topic: Public sector

New ministerial offices within Scottish Government estate: FOI release

Since 1 May 2021, the cost of creating new Ministerial offices within the Scottish Government. Note that I am referring to the physical space of an office that is used by a Minister. Costs could include but not be limited to purchasing new furniture, purchasing signage, taking out walls, relocating previous users of th...

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

Published: 2025-10-14
Reference: FOI/202500473946
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Orders for Former First Minister's book "Frankly”: FOI release

1. How many copies of Nicola Sturgeon's book the Scottish Government has ordered? 2. How much money has been spent on this? 3. Who or what the books are for?

FOI unclear 50 score 7 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-10-13
Reference: FOI/202500474648
Directorate: Digital Directorate
Topic: Arts, culture and sport, Public sector

Police Pension Scheme (Scotland) contingent decision applications: FOI release

1. To maintain fairness and transparency who decides if private pensions can be transferred in to the Police Pension? 2. Who is the senior manager of the SPPA and what are their contact details? 3. How many members have been issued with correspondence to Apply for a Transfer Contingent Decision – 2015 Remedy?

FOI unclear 55 score 10 working days correspondence ministers s.20

Published: 2025-10-13
Reference: FOI/202500474309
Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Documentation held by Transport Scotland regarding revoking bus passes: FOI release

Part One Could you supply all documentation held by Transport Scotland, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), briefings, analysis and minutes/notes from meetings, about revoking bus passes from under-22s due to bad behaviour, from the last month? Part Two How many have had their bus passes r...

FOI unclear 50 score correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending

Published: 2025-10-13
Reference: FOI/202500473197
Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Transport

Information on existing breakfast provision in schools: FOI release

What progress has taken place towards mapping free school breakfast provision in Scotland with the local government improvement service.

FOI unclear 50 score 16 working days correspondence ministers spending

Published: 2025-09-25
Reference: FOI/202500471337
Directorate: Children and Families Directorate
Topic: Children and families, Education, Public sector

Ministerial engagements attended by relation or friend: FOI release

Please provide a list of all ministerial engagements, meetings or visits in 2025 to date where a minister has been accompanied by a spouse/partner, other family member or friend. In each case, please confirm: The relation of the guest to the minister. Whether the friend or family member travel using the ministerial c...

FOI unclear 50 score 15 working days correspondence ministers meetings

Published: 2025-09-25
Reference: FOI/202500472116
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Scottish Government Ministers interactions with Large Language Models (LLM): FOI release

Can I request the following information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002: Any recorded transcripts, logs, outputs, or other documentation of interactions between Scottish Government Ministers and ChatGPT or any other large language model (LLM) from January 1, 2025, to June 18, 2025. This includes ...

FOI unclear 80 score 18 working days correspondence ministers s.17(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-09-25
Reference: FOI/202500471617
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

UK Prime Minister's pothole fund documentation: FOI release

All documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings, and analysis, about Keir Starmer's pothole fund, between March 1 2025 and May 1 2025? https://www.gov.uk/government/news/seven-million-more-potholes-to-be-filled-n...

FOI unclear 50 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending

Published: 2025-09-25
Reference: FOI/202500477276
Directorate: Financial Management Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Costs of Scottish Government's media room: FOI release

Full breakdown of costs for the Scottish Government's media room from the last five years, broken down per year.

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings contracts s.17(1)

Published: 2025-09-25
Reference: FOI/202500471222
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

The Scottish Violence Reduction Unit funding: FOI release

Appearing on BBC Radio Scotland’s Lunchtime Live programme on 28th May 2025, Jimmy Paul, the Head of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, was asked whether the Scottish Government had cut the funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. He said: “So it’s a 3% cut in funding, which amounts to a little over £30,000...

FOI unclear 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers s.25(1)

Published: 2025-09-24
Reference: FOI/202500468619
Directorate: Safer Communities Directorate
Topic: Communities and third sector, Public sector

Gourock to Dunoon passenger ferry services cost: FOI release

Information provided to the Clyde, Kintyre and Island Ferry Stakeholder Group at the most recent meeting was correct, and if we can provide the latest financial information in terms of route costs provided to Ministers.

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings contracts

Published: 2025-09-24
Reference: FOI/202500469721
Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Transport

Cumulative costs of Scottish Government legal fees: FOI Review

Original Request - 202500462518 You asked for 'In the last five financial years (inclusive of 2024/25), please provide the details of which matters counsel or legal advice was sought for any cumulative cost of legal fees of less than £50,000. This should include live and closed matters, with "matters" taken to be a ge...

FOI unclear 55 score 10 working days correspondence ministers spending s.23 s.37 s.20

Published: 2025-09-24
Reference: FOI/202500472207 Review of 202500462518
Directorate: Legal Services (Solicitor to the Scottish Government)
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Scottish Government meetings with Teva Pharmaceuticals: FOI Review

Original Request - 202500469894 In the time period from 01 October 2023 to present: When and where have Scottish Government (SG) ministers or senior civil servants in the SG had meetings with a.) representatives of Teva Pharmaceuticals; b.) Israeli diplomats from the UK's Israeli Embassy, where discussion of Teva P...

FOI unclear 50 score 5 working days correspondence ministers meetings

Published: 2025-09-24
Reference: FOI/202500473849 Review of 202500469894
Directorate: Chief Medical Officer Directorate
Topic: Health and social care, Public sector

Records of selected international ministerial engagements: FOI release

Records of international ministerial engagements, including foreign visits, meetings, official missions or events abroad, for the following individuals: Alex Salmond Fiona Hyslop Humza Yousaf Specifically, you requested the date, location, purpose of the visit, and key individuals or organizations met.

FOI unclear 80 score 20 working days correspondence ministers meetings s.25(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-09-23
Reference: FOI/202500467069
Directorate: Culture and External Affairs Directorate
Topic: International, Public sector

Forwarded e-mails from ministerial e-mail addresses to personal email addresses: FOI release

Number of times government ministers have forwarded e-mails or documents from their ministerial e-mail addresses to their personal e-mail addresses in calendar years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 to date? Please provide the data broken down by the name, and role of the government minister for each year. If the same...

FOI unclear 50 score 13 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-09-23
Reference: FOI/202500468575
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills