Transparency index

Scottish Government FOI releases

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
22 matching releases

Non-Domestic Rates (Liability for Unoccupied Properties) (Scotland) Bill correspondence: FOI release

1. The correspondence that first informed the Scottish Government about the drafting error with the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 2020 which pointed out that the amendments made by the 2020 Act to devolve Empty Property Relief had not had the intended legal effect. 2. All correspondence between relevant Scottish G...

FOI withheld 80 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers meetings spending s.30 s.36(1) s.38(1) s.29(1) s.33(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments
Published
2026-02-23
Reference
FOI/202500495336
Directorate
Local Government and Housing Directorate
Topic
Housing, Money and tax, Public sector

Correspondence relating to 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence: FOI release

1. Any correspondence sent from Scottish Government Ministers relating to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence in 2025. 2. Any briefing prepared for Ministers on the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence in 2025.

FOI withheld 80 score 17 working days correspondence ministers briefings s.38(1) s.30 2 attachments
Published
2026-02-18
Reference
FOI/202500495618
Directorate
Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Directorate
Topic
Equality and rights, Public sector

Correspondence and funding from Scottish Government to Ferguson Marine: FOI release

1. Could you supply all documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings, analysis, about the promised £14.2m funding to Ferguson Marine, from the last three months? 2. How much of the £14.2m has been given to Ferguso...

FOI withheld 80 score 19 working days correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.25(1) s.27(1) s.30 2 attachments
Published
2026-02-11
Reference
202500485652
Directorate
Economic Development Directorate
Topic
Economy, Public sector

Communications, guidance and financial arrangements to Health Boards: FOI release

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I hereby request the following information held by the Scottish Government, for the period 1 January 2020 to present: 1. Communications with NHS Boards Copies of all internal emails, memos, meeting minutes or briefing papers between the Scottish Government (includ...

FOI withheld 80 score 20 working days correspondence briefings meetings contracts spending s.2 s.29(1) s.30 s.38(1) s.25(1) s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2025-09-23
Reference
FOI/202500468013
Directorate
Population Health Directorate
Topic
Health and social care, Public sector

Short life working group information: FOI release

1. Minutes/notes of all meetings of the short life working group established to co-ordinate the Scottish Government's response to the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland vs. The Scottish Ministers; 2. A copy of the terms of reference for the working group, and any notes on how these terms of reference were cr...

FOI withheld 80 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.27(1) s.25(1) s.38(1) 2 attachments
Published
2025-08-12
Reference
FOI/202500472952
Directorate
Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Directorate
Topic
Equality and rights, Public sector

Football related disorder roundtable documentation: FOI release

1) Minutes from the roundtable on football-related disorder which took place on June 17, 2025. 2) Any ministerial briefings for the event or correspondence relating to it in advance of the roundtable. 3) Any handouts or documents circulated at the meeting.

FOI withheld 80 score 28 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings spending s.38(1) s.34(1) s.30 s.36(1) s.33(1) s.29(1) 2 attachments
Published
2025-08-12
Reference
FOI/202500471355
Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate
Topic
Public safety and emergencies, Public sector

Operation Branchform queries: FOI release

When the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice & Home Affairs was informed of Peter Murrell’s attendance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 20 March 2025. Please provide the specific time and the correspondence informing them of this fact. All correspondence between the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Gov...

FOI withheld 80 score 72 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.26 s.38(1) s.34(1) s.30 2 attachments
Published
2025-08-05
Reference
FOI/202500458640
Directorate
Propriety and Ethics Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Work and skills

Information about the NHS Scotland Workforce: Gender Transitioning Guide: FOI release

1. Please state when work on developing the draft (Gender Transitioning) Guide began (month/year). 2. Please state when the draft Guide was first distributed to Health Boards for consultation (month/year). 3. Please state which organisations have been consulted on the draft Guide, or asked to comment in any way. This...

FOI withheld 55 score 19 working days correspondence ministers s.29(1) s.17
Published
2025-05-08
Reference
FOI/202500455189
Directorate
Health Workforce Directorate
Topic
Health and social care, Public sector

Queries regarding access to secretariat members email accounts: FOI Review

Original request 202400444352 In the court of session ruling from case XA10/23, the court ruling states: "In this connection it is notable that in their written submissions the Ministers accept that they (or their officials) could gain access to the information. They acknowledge that some of the email accounts of sec...

FOI withheld 80 score 10 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings s.21(4) s.38(1) s.36(1) s.17(1) 2 attachments
Published
2025-03-25
Reference
FOI/202500449874 Review of 202400444352
Directorate
Propriety and Ethics Directorate
Topic
Law and order, Public sector

Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) report concerning Presumed Liability in Civil Law: FOI release

Information relating to the report prepared by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) concerning Presumed Liability in Civil Law. We understand this consultancy work was commissioned jointly by the Department for Transport and Transport Scotland and was completed in late 2021. In particular, we require the following i...

FOI withheld 80 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence briefings s.36(1) 2 attachments
Published
2025-01-17
Reference
FOI/202400440525
Directorate
Topic
Public sector, Transport

UK Government regulations to restrict the prescribing and supply of puberty-suppressing hormones: FOI release

Information in relation to UK Government regulations to restrict the prescribing and supply of puberty-suppressing hormones: The Medicines (Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues) (Emergency Prohibition) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2024: 1. On what date was the Scottish Government first made aware of the UK...

FOI withheld 55 score 24 working days over deadline correspondence s.25(1) s.36(1)
Published
2024-09-24
Reference
FOI/202400422604
Directorate
Chief Medical Officer Directorate
Topic
Health and social care, Public sector

Freedom of Information guidance, monitoring the social media profiles of journalists and sex offender name changing: FOI release

1. Could you supply the full internal guidance/guidebook for dealing with FOIs which the Scottish Government abide by, including whether Special Advisers are given first look at them, and what details they are provided with? 2. Could you supply details about whether the Scottish Government monitor the social media pro...

FOI withheld 80 score 19 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings meetings s.38(1) s.34(1) s.2 s.25(1) s.17(1) s.29(1) s.30 s.36(1) 2 attachments
Published
2024-09-02
Reference
FOI/202400408156
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Law and order, Public sector

Alex Salmond and Lesley Evans correspondence: FOI release

1. All correspondence, notes and minutes mentioning Alex Salmond, or from Alex Salmond, received and sent by the Scottish Government, including internal, between November 1 2023 and the date of this FOI. 2. All correspondence, notes and minutes mentioning Lesley Evans, or from Lesley Evans, received and sent by the Sc...

FOI withheld 80 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence meetings s.25(1) s.30 s.36(1) 4 attachments
Published
2024-08-28
Reference
FOI/202300391377
Directorate
Propriety and Ethics Directorate
Topic
Public sector

First Minister's advice and statement regarding handling of harassment: FOI release

The Scottish Government’s review of Alex Salmond’s submission to the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints Committee where he identified 46 documents that were inappropriately withheld during the civil and criminal cases that had subsequently been passed to the Committee by the Scottish Government. The ...

FOI withheld 80 score 536 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings s.26 s.25(1) s.30 s.35(1) s.36(1) s.38(1) s.35(2) s.34(1) 14 attachments
Published
2023-12-11
Reference
202100170091
Directorate
Propriety and Ethics Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Formal process for excluding the deposit return scheme regulations from the Internal Market Act: EIR release

The date on which the “formal process for excluding the deposit return scheme regulations from the Internal Market Act” was initiated. All internal Scottish Government correspondence/briefings relating to the “formal process for excluding the deposit return scheme regulations from the Internal Market Act". Any legal ad...

FOI/EIR withheld 80 score 87 working days over deadline correspondence briefings s.20 s.39(2) s.6(1) s.10(4) 4 attachments
Published
2023-10-19
Reference
202300342961
Directorate
Environment and Forestry Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Scottish Information Commissioner (SIC) ruling 004/2023: FOI release

The cost of any legal advice - either from the Scottish Government's legal directorate or from external advisers/counsel - in regards to the decision to challenge the SIC ruling 004/2023. Any internal correspondence among senior civil servants, special advisers, and ministers (including any attachments or referenced br...

FOI withheld 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers briefings spending s.36(1)
Published
2023-08-29
Reference
FOI/202300368377
Directorate
Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic
Public sector

"Tinker Housing experiments": FOI release

“(a) provide us with copies of the legal advice which your government has received on this matter, and (b) provide a comprehensive explanation as to why the Scottish Government is unable to apologise on this matter, yet is able to apologise for various other historical injustices which preceded devolution such as those...

FOI withheld 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers s.36(1)
Published
2022-07-25
Reference
FOI/202200304820
Directorate
Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Directorate
Topic
Equality and rights, Public sector

COVID 19 Coronavirus testing: FOI release

1) I would like to know how many false positives Scotland has had since testing started for sars-cov-2?? 2) I would like to know how many people are testing more than twice a week as this would mean figures are being falsified if your counting the same person twice or three times would it not? 3) Why testing healthy pe...

FOI/EIR withheld 55 score 16 working days correspondence contracts spending s.17(1) s.25(1) s.8(1)
Published
2021-12-13
Reference
FOI/202100250206
Directorate
Topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory infections in Scotland, Public sector

Former First Minister inquiry motion for the recovery of documents: FOI release

1. Any mentions of the motion for the Commission and Diligence for the recovery of documents (or any shorthand variations used by the Scottish Government) regarding the Judicial Review in the case of Alex Salmond against the Scottish Government in Scottish Government correspondence (including emails, attachments, typed...

FOI withheld 55 score 59 working days over deadline correspondence ministers briefings meetings s.36(1) s.17(1)
Published
2021-02-25
Reference
FOI/202000119779
Directorate
Topic
Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Correspondence relating to the former First Minister investigation and communications concerning the Permanent Secretary: FOI release

You asked for: 1. Further to the existing replies to my earlier requests please list the Scottish Government meetings with external legal advisers relating to the investigation concerning Alex Salmond in July and August 2018 and the civil servants, government ministers, special advisers and any others at these meeting...

FOI withheld 55 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers meetings contracts s.2 s.30 s.38(1)
Published
2019-11-27
Reference
FOI/19/02429
Directorate
Topic
Public sector

Former First Minister Legal fees: FOI release

Correspondence and documents pertaining to the extensive negotiations mentioned by the Scottish Government spokesman inasmuch as they relate to the amount or make up of the legal fees.

FOI withheld 55 score 20 working days correspondence ministers spending s.30 s.36(1)
Published
2019-09-17
Reference
FOI/19/01969
Directorate
Topic
Public sector