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

1,275 matching releases

Online media and marketing advertising budgets: FOI release

Please can you provide me with your spending for 2023-4 and 2024-5 on: * Print media advertising, broken down by newspaper or outlet; and * Online media advertising, broken down by platform, e.g. Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, etc.

FOI withheld 55 score 18 working days correspondence contracts spending s.27 s.33 s.33(1)

Published: 2025-07-10
Reference: FOI/202500459416
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Scottish Government Education and Skills portfolio employee breakdown: FOI release

In your letter, you requested the following information: Part 1: This FOI is from November 2023. Scottish Government staffing numbers: FOI release - gov.scot . Can I re-ask the four questions within this please to establish the most up to date information? Senior Civil Service Pay - updated from March 2023 or most re...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 22 working days over deadline correspondence ministers spending s.27(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-07-10
Reference: FOI/202500461154
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Education, Public sector

Meeting requests for Minister for Equalities: FOI release

A full list of meetings held by Kaukab Stewart between April 15 and May 15 2025,and a list of meeting requests Whether they were accepted and rejected and the reasons for these, from the same time period?

FOI released 95 score 20 working days correspondence ministers meetings 4 attachments

Published: 2025-07-10
Reference: FOI/202500466454
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Diary entries for the Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise on 26 March 2025: FOI release

You asked for Natalie Innes-Don’s diary for 26 March 2025. Additionally, please confirm whether any changes were made to the diary entries throughout the day, and if so, provide details of these changes.

FOI released 95 score 19 working days correspondence ministers 2 attachments

Published: 2025-07-09
Reference: FOI/202500459470
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Children and families, Public sector

Constitutional role of Scottish Government in the operation of the Lord Lieutenants in Scotland: FOI release

The Scotland Act 1998 does not cover the operation of Lord-Lieutenants. They are directly responsible to the Monarch. Therefore, without a constitutional role why is the Scottish Government involved at all in the activities of the Lord-Lieutenants?

FOI unclear 50 score 14 working days correspondence ministers

Published: 2025-07-07
Reference: FOI/202500459160
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Training materials for the application of Freedom Of Information (Scotland) Act exemptions: FOI release

Copies of all materials intended to train or otherwise direct Scottish Government employees tasked with drafting FOI/EIR responses how and when to apply exemptions from the FOISA.

FOI already published 80 score 9 working days correspondence spending s.25 2 attachments

Published: 2025-07-07
Reference: FOI/202500460007
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government website publication breakdown: FOI release

The Scottish Government’s Publications site lists distinct (https://www.gov.scot/publications/) items – ten per page. These items are by default sorted in chronological order from newest to oldest, and results can be filtered by categories ‘Content Type’, ‘Topic’, and date of most recent update. Please provide the fol...

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

Published: 2025-07-07
Reference: FOI/202500459264
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Breakdown of paid media spend on Twitter/X and LinkedIn: FOI release

The total spend on services provided by X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn for each of the calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date. Please provide a breakdown of what the money was spent on.

FOI unclear 50 score 18 working days correspondence spending

Published: 2025-07-07
Reference: FOI/202500465435
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Information on Freedom of Information requests submitted to the Scottish Government: FOI release

How many FOI requests were submitted to the Scottish Government in 2024? How many requests were submitted by the requestor who submitted the most requests? Information held on how much staff time and overall cost to the Scottish Government of handling a) all requests and b) the most prolific requestor.

FOI not held 45 score 13 working days correspondence spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-07-02
Reference: FOI/202500469631
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills participation in meetings: FOI release

This is a follow up request to a previous FOI response, ref: 202500464400 The above referenced FOI response provided Jenny Gilruth’s diary of government business for 24th April 2025. For each of the listed meetings, please indicate whether Jenny Gilruth participated in person, or virtually. For all meetings where she...

FOI unclear 50 score 19 working days correspondence ministers meetings

Published: 2025-07-01
Reference: FOI/202500468568
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Total annual expenditure on hospitality by the Scottish Government: FOI release

I would like to request the following information regarding hospitality spending by the Scottish Government and its quangos over the last five financial years (2019-20 to 2023-24): 1. The total annual expenditure on hospitality, including but not limited to: Official receptions and networking events Catering for meet...

FOI unclear 55 score 46 working days over deadline correspondence meetings spending s.17(1)

Published: 2025-06-26
Reference: FOI/202500451959
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Money and tax, Public sector

Correspondence between First Minister and Nicola Sturgeon MSP: FOI release

Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the First Minister and the office of Nicola Sturgeon MSP. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individu...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 16 working days correspondence ministers whatsapp s.38(1) s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-06-26
Reference: FOI/202500456833
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

First Minister travel costs for Orkney and London trips: FOI release

Could you supply full costs of travel for John Swinney's trips to Orkney and London in February, and full costs of travel and method for any civil servants/spads who travelled with him?

FOI unclear 50 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers spending

Published: 2025-06-24
Reference: FOI/202500455966
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Transport

Honours and Awards process in Scotland: FOI Review

Original request 202500455400 I recently contacted the cabinet office asking about who and how awards and honours were determined in Scotland. They informed me the entire process in managed by the Honours and Protocol unit in the Scottish Government and that they simple rubber stamp the recommendations from Scottish G...

FOI already published 80 score 19 working days correspondence ministers s.25(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-06-18
Reference: FOI/202500457091 Review of 202500455400
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Constitution and democracy, Public sector

Ministerial Code Former Advisor correspondence: FOI release

Copies of all the correspondence between Helen Webster & James Hamilton including any correspondence from Helen Webster that references James Hamilton in them.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 20 working days correspondence ministers s.30 s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-06-18
Reference: FOI/202500456798
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Scottish Government and Ministerial Code Former Advisor communications: FOI release

Any and all communications between the Scottish Government (officials, SPADs, ministers, everyone) and Mr James Hamilton, the then advisor on the ministerial code from April 1st 2021 to December 31st 2023.’

FOI already published 80 score 33 working days over deadline correspondence ministers special advisers briefings s.38(1) s.25(1) s.26 s.30 s.34(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-06-16
Reference: FOI/202500452188
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Law and order, Public sector

Scottish Government hybrid working policy: FOI release

“Can I please all communications between all directorate directors and permanent secretary regarding the Scottish Government new hybrid working policy. Can I also have copies of all assessments, including, but not limited to, fairer scotland duty impact assessment, equality and human rights impact assessment, island c...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence s.27(1) s.30 8 attachments

Published: 2025-06-12
Reference: FOI/202500465073
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Scottish Government hybrid working policy evidence and findings: FOI release

“In the Saltire article "Next Phase of Hybrid Working" published on the SG intranet on 7th May 2025 it says "In coming to this decision, the Executive Team weighed evidence gathered by a small internal hybrid working review team." “Please can I have a copy of this evidence. I'd like to see any materials that were give...

FOI partially withheld 90 score 21 working days over deadline correspondence meetings s.30 s.27(1) 12 attachments

Published: 2025-06-12
Reference: FOI/202500465200
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Correspondence regarding Former First Minister memoirs: FOI release

You requested the following information: 1. Any information held on advice provided to Nicola Sturgeon about the Radcliffe Rules around political memoirs. 2. Whether Nicola Sturgeon has submitted a manuscript of her memoir, Frankly, to the Permanent Secretary for approval under those rules. 3. A copy of any part of ...

FOI withheld 80 score 20 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.2 s.3 s.33(1) s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-06-09
Reference: FOI/202500458988
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Correspondence relating to memoirs of Former First Minister: FOI release

All email correspondence between Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government since 28 March 2023, including but not limited to the Permanent Secretary, relating to her memoir. For example, this should include all correspondence containing the phrase “memoir”, “book”, “Frankly” and “Pan Macmillan”.

FOI partially withheld 90 score 13 working days correspondence ministers s.33(1) s.38(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-06-09
Reference: FOI/202500464174
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Queries about FOI review responses issued by the Scottish Government: FOI release

1. Why do some review responses given by the SG in response to FOI requests not have an author at the end of the response? 2. Who authored FOI review: 202500450377? 3. How many times this year have FOI review responses contained an author, and the number that do not contain an author?

FOI partially withheld 65 score 13 working days correspondence s.38(1) s.34(1)

Published: 2025-05-12
Reference: FOI/202500456800
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector, Work and skills

Communications in regards to FOI responses to 202500447375 and 202500452341: FOI release

"All internal Government communications (emails, texts, etc everything) by anyone within the Scottish Government (civil servants, SPADs, ministers etcs) in regards to FOI original's response 202500447375 and the subsequent review response 202500452341".

FOI partially withheld 90 score 18 working days correspondence ministers special advisers s.30 2 attachments

Published: 2025-05-12
Reference: FOI/202500455247
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Law and order, Public sector

Freedom of Information request pilot queries: FOI release

Interesting, sounds like a new process then? Not something thats on your website. So i'd like to FOI each below question: 1. Why did this process come about? 2. Why is it no explained on the website? 3. Who made the decision? - can I see the decision making process? Not sure I am allowed! 4. When did the process st...

FOI partially withheld 85 score 19 working days correspondence 2 attachments

Published: 2025-05-08
Reference: FOI/202500455113
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Cost of running the Public Attitudes Survey for Scotland: FOI release

The full costs of running the Public Attitudes Survey for Scotland in the last five years, with a full breakdown per year and what the money was spent on.

FOI unclear 50 score 16 working days correspondence contracts spending

Published: 2025-05-08
Reference: FOI/202500455787
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector

Information related to WhatsApp messages: FOI Appeal

Request 202100255908 For the entire month of March, 2021 (inclusive), any WhatsApp or text messages sent or received by any cabinet secretary of the time on government business. Request 202100255912 For the month of August 2021, any WhatsApp messages or text messages sent or received by any government minister on go...

FOI unclear 80 score 32 working days over deadline correspondence ministers whatsapp s.28(1) 2 attachments

Published: 2025-05-02
Reference: FOI Appeal of 202100255908 / 202100255912
Directorate: Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate
Topic: Public sector