FindOut

Your right to know

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Overview#

You have a legal right to ask Scottish public authorities for information. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, or why you want to know.

The law#

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) gives everyone the right to request recorded information held by Scottish public authorities. “Everyone” means everyone. You don’t need to be Scottish, a British citizen, or even resident in the UK. You don’t need to give a reason for asking. You don’t need to explain what you plan to do with the information.

Making a request

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How to make a request#

Making an FOI request is simpler than most people expect. You just need to write to a public authority and ask for the information you want. That’s it.

You don’t need to use special forms, legal language, or to have special knowledge of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act. This page explains what makes a request valid, how to write a good one, and what happens after you send it.

Section 25: Information otherwise accessible

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Section 25 of FOISA says information is exempt if you can reasonably get hold of it without making an FOI request. This is one of the most common provisions you’ll see in refusal letters.

In plain terms#

The authority is telling you: you don’t need FOI for this because you can already get it. Perhaps it’s on their website, in their publication scheme, or available through another route. The key word is “reasonably” - it has to be genuinely accessible to you, not just theoretically available somewhere.

Section 26: Prohibitions on disclosure

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Section 26 of FOISA exempts information where another law specifically bans its disclosure, or where releasing it would be contempt of court. This is a narrow exemption with a high bar.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: we’re not just choosing to withhold this - we’re legally prohibited from releasing it. A different law, or a court order, makes disclosure unlawful. Think of tax records protected by revenue legislation, or information covered by a court order restricting publication.

Section 27: Information intended for future publication

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Information intended for future publication#

Section 27 of FOISA exempts information that the authority plans to publish soon. The idea is that you shouldn’t need to use FOI to get something that’s about to come out anyway.

In plain terms#

The authority is telling you: we’re going to publish this within 12 weeks, so it’s reasonable for you to wait. This might come up with draft reports, statistics due for release, or consultation responses being prepared for publication. The authority has to have a genuine plan to publish, not just a vague intention.

Section 28: Relations within the United Kingdom

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Relations within the United Kingdom#

Section 28 of FOISA exempts information where disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice relations between the Scottish Government and other UK administrations.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: releasing this would seriously damage the working relationship between the Scottish Government and Westminster (or the Welsh or Northern Irish governments). This comes up when Scottish and UK ministers or officials have been communicating about shared policy areas, and one side would rather those discussions stayed private.

Section 29: Formulation of Scottish Administration policy

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Government policy#

Section 29 of FOISA exempts information held by the Scottish Government that relates to the development of government policy. This exemption is only available to the Scottish Administration (which includes the core Scottish Government, executive agencies, and non-ministerial departments), not to councils, NHS boards, or other public authorities.

In plain terms#

The Scottish Government is saying: this information relates to policy we’re developing, or to discussions between ministers, or to legal advice from the Law Officers. They’re arguing they need space to consider options without every draft and internal discussion being made public while work is still in progress.

Section 30: Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs

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Public affairs and “space to think”#

Section 30 of FOISA is one of the most important and most contested exemptions in Scottish FOI. It protects information where disclosure would harm the effective conduct of public affairs - including the free and frank exchange of advice and views within public authorities.

In plain terms#

The authority is arguing that releasing this information would damage its ability to conduct its business effectively. Most often, this means they’re saying that officials need to be able to give candid advice and debate options openly, and that making those discussions public would stop people being honest in future. You’ll sometimes see it called the “space to think” exemption.

Section 31: National security and defence

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National security and defence#

Section 31 of FOISA exempts information where withholding is needed to safeguard national security, or where disclosure would substantially prejudice defence capabilities.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: releasing this information would put national security at risk or damage the country’s ability to defend itself. In practice, Scottish public authorities rarely hold the kind of information this exemption covers - most national security and defence material sits with UK-level bodies under the UK FOI Act.

Section 32: International relations

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International relations#

Section 32 of FOISA exempts information where disclosure would substantially prejudice the UK’s relations with other states or international organisations, or the promotion or protection of UK interests abroad, or where the information was received in confidence from a foreign government or international body.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: releasing this would damage Britain’s relationships with other countries or international organisations. Since foreign affairs is reserved to Westminster, this exemption is rarely encountered in Scottish FOI. It tends to arise when Scottish authorities hold information that touches on international dealings - for example, trade visits, cross-border environmental issues, or EU-related policy.

Section 33: Commercial interests and the economy

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Commercial interests and the economy#

Section 33 of FOISA exempts information that amounts to a trade secret, or where disclosure would substantially prejudice commercial interests, the UK economy, or the financial interests of a UK administration. This is one of the most commonly applied exemptions in Scottish FOI.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: releasing this would seriously harm someone’s business interests, reveal a trade secret, or damage the economy. Authorities frequently cite section 33 when refusing to release contract details, tender prices, financial information about companies, or commercially sensitive data provided by third parties.

Section 34: Investigations by Scottish public authorities

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Investigations by Scottish public authorities#

Section 34 of FOISA exempts information held by a Scottish public authority for the purposes of certain investigations it conducts - criminal investigations, reports to the procurator fiscal, fatal accident inquiries, and information about confidential sources.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: we hold this information because of an investigation we’re conducting (or have conducted), and releasing it could compromise that work. This exemption protects the investigation process itself, not just its outcome.

Section 35: Law enforcement

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Law enforcement#

Section 35 of FOISA exempts information where disclosure would substantially prejudice a wide range of law enforcement functions - from crime prevention and prosecution to tax collection, immigration controls, and regulatory enforcement.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: releasing this information would seriously harm its ability (or another body’s ability) to enforce the law. Unlike section 34, which protects information held for specific investigations, section 35 is about the effect of disclosure on law enforcement work more broadly.

The public interest test

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What is the public interest test?#

When a Scottish public authority refuses to disclose information under a qualified exemption (FOISA) or any exception (the EIRs), it must go further than simply showing the exemption applies. It must also consider whether the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in withholding it.

This is the public interest test. It is usually the most important battleground in FOI disputes. Even where an exemption clearly applies, the authority must still release the information if the balance of public interest favours disclosure.

Section 36: Confidentiality

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Confidentiality#

Section 36 of FOISA contains two very different exemptions under one heading. Section 36(1) covers legal professional privilege - communications between an authority and its solicitors. Section 36(2) covers information given in confidence where disclosure would amount to an actionable breach of confidence. Despite sharing a section number, these exemptions work differently and should be considered separately.

In plain terms#

If the authority cites section 36(1), it’s saying: this is a communication between us and our solicitors, protected by legal professional privilege. Releasing it would undermine our ability to get frank legal advice.

Section 37: Court records

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Court records#

Section 37 of FOISA exempts information contained in documents connected to court proceedings, public inquiries, and arbitrations - but only where the authority holds that information solely because of the court document. This is one of the narrower exemptions, and the “solely because” condition is the key to challenging it.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: we only have this information because it’s in a document that was lodged with, served by, or created by a court (or inquiry or arbitration). The proceedings have their own rules about access to documents, and FOI shouldn’t override those.

Section 38: Personal information

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Personal information#

Section 38 of FOISA is the most commonly used exemption in Scottish FOI. It covers four different situations involving personal data, and they work in very different ways. If you have been refused under section 38, the first thing to check is which subsection the authority has cited - the rules depend entirely on which one.

In plain terms#

If the authority cites section 38(1)(a), it’s saying: you’ve asked for your own personal data. FOI isn’t the right route - use a subject access request instead.

Section 39: Health, safety and the environment

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Health, safety and the environment#

Section 39 of FOISA contains two unrelated exemptions under one heading. Section 39(1) covers information whose disclosure would endanger someone’s health or safety. Section 39(2) is a technical provision that redirects environmental information requests to the EIR(S) regime. Despite sharing a section number, these exemptions serve different purposes and you need to know which one the authority has cited.

If your request is refused

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What to do if your request is refused#

If you asked for information and the authority said no, that’s not the end. Many refusals are overturned on review or appeal. In 2024-25, the Scottish Information Commissioner found wholly or partly in favour of the requester in 71% of decided cases.

There are three stages to challenging a refusal. The first two are free and are designed so that ordinary people can use them without professional help.

Section 40: Audit functions

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Audit functions#

Section 40 of FOISA protects information whose disclosure would substantially prejudice the ability of public bodies to carry out audits and value-for-money examinations. This is a narrow exemption that most requesters will never encounter. It exists mainly for the benefit of Audit Scotland and similar inspectorate bodies.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: releasing this information would seriously damage our ability to audit other public bodies or examine whether they’re spending public money effectively.

Section 41: Communications with His Majesty

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Communications with the King and honours#

Section 41 of FOISA exempts information relating to communications with the Royal Family and the Royal Household, and information about the awarding of honours. This is a class-based exemption - the authority does not need to show that disclosure would cause any specific harm. If the information falls within the class, the exemption applies. It is rarely encountered in practice.

Environmental information

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Environmental information#

Environmental information has its own legal regime in Scotland, with rules that differ from Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) in several important ways.

The law#

The Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs) give you the right to request environmental information from Scottish public authorities. The regulations implement the Aarhus Convention, an international treaty that recognises access to environmental information as a fundamental right linked to democratic participation and the protection of the environment.

Regulation 10(4)(a): Information not held

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Information not held#

Regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if it does not hold the information at the time it receives your request. This is the most basic of the exceptions - the authority is saying the information you asked for does not exist in its records.

In plain terms#

The authority has looked and says it doesn’t have what you asked for. That might be true. Or it might mean they haven’t looked hard enough.

Regulation 10(4)(b): Manifestly unreasonable requests

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Manifestly unreasonable requests#

Regulation 10(4)(b) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if it is manifestly unreasonable. The word “manifestly” matters. The request must be obviously and clearly unreasonable - not just inconvenient or resource-intensive.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying your request is either so burdensome that dealing with it would be unreasonable, or that it lacks any serious purpose. This is the EIR(S) equivalent of the vexatious request and excessive cost provisions in FOISA, rolled into one.

Regulation 10(4)(c): Request too general

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Request too general#

Regulation 10(4)(c) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if it is formulated in too general a manner. But there’s a catch: the authority can only use this exception if it has first asked you to clarify your request and helped you do so. If it hasn’t, the exception doesn’t apply.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying it can’t work out what you’re asking for. Your request is too vague, unclear, or non-specific for the authority to identify the information you want. Before it can refuse, it must contact you and try to sort out the confusion.

Regulation 10(4)(d): Material in course of completion

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Material in the course of completion#

Regulation 10(4)(d) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if the information relates to material still being completed, unfinished documents, or incomplete data. The authority is saying: this isn’t ready yet.

In plain terms#

The information you’ve asked for is in draft or is still being put together. The authority doesn’t want to release something that’s half-finished because it could be misleading or because the work is ongoing.

Regulation 10(4)(e): Internal communications

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Internal communications#

Regulation 10(4)(e) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to withhold internal communications. Of all the EIR(S) exceptions, this is the broadest. It applies to any communication between officials within the same authority - regardless of content and regardless of whether releasing it would cause any harm at all.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying: this is an internal discussion and we don’t want to make it public. It might be emails between officers, notes from a meeting, a briefing paper for senior management, or a draft report circulated for comment.

Regulation 10(5)(a): International relations, defence, national security and public safety

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International relations, defence, national security and public safety#

Regulation 10(5)(a) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice international relations, defence, national security or public safety. This is the broadest of the substantial prejudice exceptions, covering four distinct interests in a single provision.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying that releasing the information would cause serious harm to one of these four interests. In an environmental context, this might involve plans for critical infrastructure like water treatment works, information touching on military land use, or environmental data shared in confidence between governments.

Regulation 10(5)(b): The course of justice and inquiries

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The course of justice and inquiries#

Regulation 10(5)(b) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice the course of justice, a person’s right to a fair trial, or a public authority’s ability to conduct a criminal or disciplinary inquiry.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying that releasing the information would interfere with legal proceedings, a criminal investigation, or a disciplinary process. This might be an environmental enforcement case, a prosecution for pollution offences, or a regulatory investigation.

Regulation 10(5)(c): Intellectual property rights

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Intellectual property rights#

Regulation 10(5)(c) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice intellectual property rights. In environmental requests, this usually means copyright or database rights.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying that the information is protected by someone’s intellectual property rights - typically the copyright of a third party - and that releasing it would cause real harm to the rights holder.

Regulation 10(5)(d): Confidentiality of proceedings

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Confidentiality of proceedings#

Regulation 10(5)(d) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice the confidentiality of the proceedings of any public authority, where that confidentiality is provided for by law.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying that the information comes from proceedings that are legally required to be kept confidential, and releasing it would cause real harm to that confidentiality. This might involve investigative proceedings, regulatory hearings conducted in private under statute, or governance processes protected by law.

Regulation 10(5)(e): Commercial or industrial confidentiality

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Commercial or industrial confidentiality#

Regulation 10(5)(e) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information, where that confidentiality is provided for by law to protect a legitimate economic interest. This is one of the most commonly used EIR(S) exceptions.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying that the information is commercially confidential and that releasing it would cause real financial or competitive harm to a business. This comes up in requests about planning applications, pollution permits, waste management contracts, and any environmental data involving commercial operators.

Regulation 10(5)(f): Interests of the information provider

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Interests of the information provider#

Regulation 10(5)(f) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice the interests of a person who provided the information voluntarily. This exception exists to encourage the flow of information to public authorities from people who are not obliged to provide it.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying that someone gave them the information freely, without being required to do so by law, and that releasing it would cause serious harm to that person’s interests. The person did not consent to disclosure. This might involve voluntary environmental data submitted by a business, research contributed by an academic, or information shared by a whistleblower.

Regulation 10(5)(g): Protection of the environment

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Protection of the environment#

Regulation 10(5)(g) of the EIR(S) allows an authority to refuse your request if disclosure would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice the protection of the environment to which the information relates. The logic is straightforward: the EIR(S) exist to protect the environment, so it would defeat their purpose if disclosing environmental information caused environmental damage.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying that releasing this information would itself harm the environment. The classic example is the location of a rare or protected species - publishing the exact coordinates could lead to disturbance, egg theft, or poaching.

Regulation 11: Personal data

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Personal data#

Regulation 11 of the EIR(S) sets out when personal data can and cannot be disclosed in response to an environmental information request. Although this page is grouped with the regulation 10 exceptions for convenience, personal data is dealt with separately - it has its own regulation, its own tests, and its own relationship with data protection law.

In plain terms#

The authority is saying the information identifies, or could identify, a living person, and data protection law restricts what it can release. This comes up constantly - names on documents, contact details, professional roles, complainants’ identities, details about individuals affected by environmental decisions.

About FindOut

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FindOut is a free public resource designed to make Scotland’s freedom of information rights more accessible. It is not affiliated with the Scottish Information Commissioner, the Scottish Government, or any other public authority.

The site is built and maintained by someone with experience of the FOI system who believes that the right to information is only meaningful if people understand how to use it.

Some parts of the site, such as the evidence summaries in the challenge tool, draw on analysis of published decisions of the Scottish Information Commissioner. That information is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Active travel spending

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils receive funding for cycling and walking infrastructure through their own budgets and from bodies such as Sustrans. FOI requests can reveal how much is being invested in active travel and where the money is going.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total capital and revenue spending on cycling and walking infrastructure. 2. A breakdown of spending by project or scheme, showing the project name, cost, and funding source. 3. The total length of dedicated cycling infrastructure (e.g. segregated cycle lanes, shared-use paths) in the authority area, in kilometres. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s roads or transport department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Additional support needs provision

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The number of children recorded as having additional support needs (ASN) in Scotland has risen sharply. Local data can tell you whether support is keeping pace with demand.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of children with an identified additional support need, broken down by type of need (e.g. social and emotional, learning disability, physical disability, autism spectrum). 2. The number of children with a coordinated support plan (CSP) in place. 3. The number of requests for a CSP that were refused during the period. 4. The number of children waiting for an educational psychology assessment as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s education department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Agency and temporary staff costs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When public bodies cannot fill permanent posts, they often use agency staff at a higher cost. Tracking this spending shows where recruitment problems are worst and how much extra the public is paying.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR]: 1. The total amount spent on agency and temporary staff. 2. A breakdown of this spending by department or directorate. 3. For each department, the number of agency workers engaged as a monthly average. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority. You can find the right authority in the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Air quality monitoring data

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Local authorities monitor air quality, particularly in areas where pollution levels may exceed legal limits. This data shows whether the air in your area is safe to breathe and whether it is getting better or worse over time.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information. For all air quality monitoring stations in [AREA e.g. town or council area], please provide: 1. The monthly average readings for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for [YEAR e.g. 2024]. 2. The monthly average readings for particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) for the same period. 3. Whether any readings exceeded the relevant air quality objectives. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s environmental health department. The Scottish Information Commissioner’s directory can help you find the right contact. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Allotment provision and waiting lists

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, councils have a duty to provide allotments where there is demand. This data shows how long people are waiting for a plot and whether supply is keeping up.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information: 1. The total number of allotment plots managed by the council. 2. The current number of people on the allotment waiting list. 3. The average waiting time from joining the list to being offered a plot. 4. The annual rent charged per standard-sized plot. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s parks or community services team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Anti-social behaviour complaints

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils and housing associations have a legal duty to deal with anti-social behaviour in their areas. FOI requests can reveal the scale of the problem and what action is being taken.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of anti-social behaviour complaints received. 2. A breakdown of complaints by type (e.g. noise, harassment, vandalism, drug-related, neighbour disputes). 3. The number of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) or other formal enforcement actions taken. 4. The average time taken to resolve complaints. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s community safety or housing team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Building warrant applications

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Building warrants are required before most construction or alteration work can begin. The numbers show the volume of development activity in your area and how quickly applications are being processed.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of building warrant applications received. 2. The number of applications approved and the number refused. 3. The average time taken from application to decision. 4. The number of applications still awaiting a decision as at the end of the period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s building standards department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Bus services and subsidies

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Many bus routes in Scotland only run because the council pays a subsidy. You can find out which routes are supported, what they cost, and how many people use them.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. A list of all bus routes subsidised or supported by the council. 2. The annual subsidy paid for each route. 3. Passenger numbers for each subsidised route, if held. 4. Any routes where the subsidy was withdrawn or reduced during the period, and the reason. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s transport department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Business case for a decision

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Major spending decisions and projects should be backed by a business case that sets out the options considered, expected costs and benefits, and why the chosen option was preferred. These documents are key to understanding whether public money is being spent wisely.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information: The business case, options appraisal, or equivalent document prepared for [PROJECT OR DECISION NAME], including any annexes or supporting analysis. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The public authority that made the decision. You can find the right authority in the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Cancelled operations and procedures

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When a hospital cancels a planned operation, the patient has to wait longer and may need to rearrange work or care. These figures show how often cancellations happen and why.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of elective operations or procedures cancelled by the hospital (not by the patient). 2. A breakdown of cancellations by reason (e.g. no bed available, staff shortage, equipment issue, emergency case took priority). 3. The number of cancelled operations that were rescheduled within 28 days. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local NHS board. Find the right board on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Care home inspection and complaints

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The Care Inspectorate regulates care homes for older people, adults, and children across Scotland. An FOI request can reveal how homes in your area are performing and whether concerns are being acted on.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The number of care home inspections carried out in [AREA e.g. council area or health board area], broken down by inspection type (announced, unannounced). 2. A breakdown of inspection grades awarded, using the Care Inspectorate's quality framework. 3. The number of complaints received about care homes in the area and the number upheld. 4. The number of enforcement actions taken (e.g. improvement notices, conditions imposed, cancellation of registration). I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The Care Inspectorate. Find their contact details on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

CCTV use

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Many Scottish councils operate public space CCTV systems. The number of cameras, where they are, and what they cost to run are matters of public interest, particularly as surveillance technology becomes more capable.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information. 1. The total number of CCTV cameras operated by the authority in public spaces. 2. The locations of these cameras, by street or area. 3. The total annual cost of operating the CCTV system in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 4. Whether any cameras use facial recognition or automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council, which usually operates public space CCTV, or Police Scotland, which has access to many systems. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Challenge multiple exemptions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Some refusal letters cite more than one exemption or exception. This tool lets you assess each one and produce a single review request covering all of them.

How it works#

Tell us about your refusal - a few quick questions to narrow down which exemptions are relevant
Select the exemptions cited - tick all the ones mentioned in your refusal letter
Work through each one - the same guided questions as the individual challenge pages, one exemption at a time
Get your results - a summary of all findings, plus a draft review letter combining your arguments

If you only need to challenge a single exemption, the individual challenge pages may be quicker.

Child protection register

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Every council maintains a child protection register listing children considered to be at risk of significant harm. The number of children on the register and the concerns recorded tell you about the scale of child protection work in your area.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The number of children on the child protection register. 2. A breakdown by the concerns identified at case conferences (e.g. domestic abuse, neglect, parental substance use, parental mental ill health, emotional abuse). Where more than one concern applies to a child, please include all concerns recorded. 3. The number of new registrations during [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 4. The number of deregistrations during the same period. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s social work or children’s services department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Committee meeting minutes

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies make many decisions through committees. Minutes record what was discussed and decided. Some are published routinely, but others, particularly internal working groups or sub-committees, may not be.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information: The minutes of all meetings of [COMMITTEE NAME] held between [START DATE] and [END DATE], including any appendices or papers circulated with the minutes. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The public authority that runs the committee. For council committees, write to the council. You can find the right authority in the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Complaints about a service

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies must record and respond to complaints under the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s model complaints handling procedure. Complaint data shows where services are falling short.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information about complaints relating to [SERVICE e.g. housing repairs, waste collection, GP practice] in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of complaints received. 2. How many were upheld, partially upheld, and not upheld. 3. The average time taken to respond at each stage of the complaints process (frontline resolution and investigation). I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Complaints against police officers

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Complaints about police conduct are handled by Police Scotland’s Professional Standards Department and overseen by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). Understanding the volume and pattern of complaints is important for public accountability.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 1. The total number of complaints received about police officers. 2. A breakdown of complaints by category (e.g. incivility, excessive force, neglect of duty). 3. The number of complaints that were upheld, not upheld, or withdrawn. 4. The number of complaints referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

Consultancy spending

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies regularly hire external consultants for advice, reviews, and project work. This spending can be substantial and is not always visible in published accounts.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total amount spent on external consultancy services. 2. A list of each consultancy firm used, showing the purpose of the engagement and the amount paid. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Contaminated land

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils maintain a register of land that has been formally identified as contaminated under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. They also hold information about sites that have been investigated but not formally designated. This matters if you live near a site or are considering buying property.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [AREA, POSTCODE, OR SITE ADDRESS]. 1. Whether the site appears on the contaminated land register. 2. Any site investigation reports held for the land. 3. Any remediation notices or voluntary remediation statements relating to the site. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s environmental health department. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Corporate credit card spending

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies issue corporate credit cards to staff for purchasing goods and services. Transaction data shows what is being bought, by whom, and whether spending is appropriate.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [PERIOD e.g. January to December 2024]: 1. The number of corporate credit cards or procurement cards currently issued to staff. 2. The total value of transactions during the period. 3. A list of all transactions above [THRESHOLD e.g. £500], showing the date, merchant name, amount, and the job title of the cardholder. I am not asking for the names of individuals, only job titles. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority: council, health board, or government agency. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Council housing energy efficiency

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils are working towards the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH), which sets minimum energy efficiency targets. This data shows how much of the housing stock meets the standard and what remains to be done.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The total number of council-owned homes. 2. The number and percentage of homes that meet the EESSH standard. 3. The number of homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or below. 4. The estimated cost of bringing all homes up to the EESSH standard. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s housing department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Council housing repairs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils are responsible for maintaining their housing stock. Repair data tells you how quickly they respond to tenants and whether a backlog is building up.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of repair reports received from tenants. 2. A breakdown by priority category (emergency, urgent, routine). 3. The average time taken to complete repairs in each priority category. 4. The number of outstanding repairs not yet completed as at the end of the financial year. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s housing repairs team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Council housing waiting list

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Council housing waiting lists show the demand for social housing in your area. How many people are waiting, and how long they wait, says a lot about how well allocation is working.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The total number of applicants on the council housing waiting list. 2. A breakdown of applicants by property size needed (1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom, 4 or more bedrooms). 3. The average waiting time for each property size, from application to offer of tenancy. 4. The number of allocations made in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25], broken down by property size. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Council spending on temporary accommodation

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils have a duty to provide temporary accommodation for homeless people. Understanding how much is spent, and on what type, shows whether public money is going to expensive B&Bs or more sustainable options.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information about temporary accommodation in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total amount spent on temporary accommodation. 2. A breakdown of that spending by type of accommodation: bed and breakfast, hotel, hostel, private rental, and any other type. 3. The number of households placed in each type of accommodation during the same period. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council. You can find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Council tax collection and arrears

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Council tax is the main local tax on domestic properties in Scotland. Collection and arrears figures tell you how much is going unpaid and what the council does about it.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total amount of council tax billed. 2. The total amount collected during the financial year and the in-year collection rate. 3. The total value of council tax arrears outstanding at the end of the financial year. 4. A breakdown of enforcement actions taken during the period (e.g. summary warrants issued, earnings arrestments, bank arrestments, referrals to sheriff officers). I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s revenues department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Council tax exemptions and discounts

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Various exemptions and discounts reduce the amount of council tax people pay. You can find out how many properties qualify, how much revenue the council forgoes, and which exemptions are most common.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The number of properties receiving a council tax exemption, broken down by exemption category (e.g. empty properties, student households, properties occupied by severely mentally impaired persons). 2. The total value of exemptions granted in each category. 3. The number of properties receiving a single person discount. 4. The number of second homes and long-term empty properties subject to a council tax premium, and the premium rate applied to each category. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Custody suite usage and conditions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

People held in police custody are in a vulnerable position. Requesting this data can reveal how busy custody suites are, how long people are held, and whether healthcare needs are being met.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of people taken into police custody. 2. The average duration of custody. 3. The number of occasions a healthcare professional was called to attend a person in custody. 4. The number of complaints received about conditions in custody suites. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

Data protection breaches

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Data breaches at public bodies can expose personal information and erode public trust. FOI requests can reveal how often breaches happen and how serious they are.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of personal data breaches recorded. 2. A breakdown by type of breach (e.g. data sent to wrong recipient, lost or stolen device, unauthorised access, cyber incident). 3. The number of breaches reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). 4. A summary of any actions taken to prevent recurrence. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority: council, health board, police, or government agency. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Deaths and serious incidents in prison

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Deaths and serious incidents in prison are matters of significant public concern. The figures reveal the scale of the problem and whether trends are improving or worsening.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of deaths in custody, broken down by cause (e.g. natural causes, suicide, drug-related, homicide, awaiting determination). 2. The total number of recorded incidents of self-harm. 3. The number of serious assaults on prisoners by other prisoners. 4. The number of serious assaults on prison staff. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The Scottish Prison Service. Find their contact details on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Developer contributions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When councils grant planning permission for major developments, they can require developers to contribute to local infrastructure through section 75 agreements. A request like this shows how much has been collected and what it has been spent on.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total value of developer contributions received under section 75 agreements. 2. A breakdown of contributions by purpose (e.g. affordable housing, education, transport, open space). 3. The total value of developer contributions held but not yet spent as at the end of the period. 4. A list of section 75 agreements entered into during the period, showing the development site and the obligations agreed. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s planning department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Disciplinary and grievance cases

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Disciplinary and grievance data shows how workplace issues are being handled across a public body. High numbers may indicate management problems or a poor working culture.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of formal disciplinary cases initiated, broken down by category (e.g. conduct, performance, attendance). 2. The outcome of each disciplinary case (e.g. no action, written warning, final written warning, dismissal). 3. The total number of formal grievances raised by employees. 4. The number of grievances upheld, partially upheld, and not upheld. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Discretionary housing payments

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Discretionary housing payments (DHPs) help people who cannot afford their rent, often because of the bedroom tax, the benefit cap, or a shortfall between Local Housing Allowance and their actual rent. Scottish Government policy is that bedroom tax and benefit cap DHPs should always be awarded, but councils have more discretion for other cases.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of DHP applications received. 2. The number of applications awarded and the total amount paid out. 3. The number of applications refused and the most common reasons for refusal. 4. A breakdown of awards by reason for application (e.g. bedroom tax, benefit cap, local housing allowance shortfall). I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s benefits or revenues department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Domestic abuse incidents

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Domestic abuse is a significant public safety issue. Police data shows the volume of reports, charging rates, and how the picture varies across Scotland.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of domestic abuse incidents recorded. 2. The number of incidents that resulted in at least one criminal charge. 3. A breakdown of incidents by local policing division. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

Drug-related incidents and seizures

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Scotland has one of the highest drug death rates in Europe. Police data on drug seizures and incidents helps show the scale of drug activity in different areas and how enforcement resources are being used.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of drug-related offences recorded, broken down by offence type (e.g. possession, supply, production). 2. The number of drug seizures, broken down by drug type. 3. A breakdown of drug-related offences by local policing division. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

Early learning and childcare provision

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

All three- and four-year-olds in Scotland are entitled to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare per year. This data shows whether there are enough places and how they are being delivered.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [SCHOOL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of children receiving funded early learning and childcare, broken down by age (eligible two-year-olds, three-year-olds, four-year-olds). 2. The number of funded places provided by council nurseries and the number provided by funded partner providers (private, voluntary, and childminder settings). 3. The number of applications for a funded place that the council was unable to meet within the parent's preferred setting or location. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s early years or education department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Electric vehicle charging points

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils are installing electric vehicle charging points across Scotland to support the transition to electric vehicles. This data shows how many chargers exist, how much they are used, and what they cost.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The total number of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging points owned or managed by the council, broken down by charger speed (slow, fast, rapid). 2. The total number of charging sessions recorded during [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 3. The total cost of installing and maintaining the charging network during the period. 4. The total revenue generated from charging fees during the period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Empty and void council properties

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When council homes sit empty, they cannot house the people on the waiting list. This request tells you how quickly councils are turning around empty homes.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The total number of void (empty) council properties. 2. A breakdown of void properties by how long they have been empty (under 4 weeks, 4 to 12 weeks, 12 to 26 weeks, over 26 weeks). 3. The average turnaround time from a property becoming void to a new tenant moving in, for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 4. The number of properties classified as long-term void (empty for more than 6 months) and the reason for each (e.g. awaiting repair, awaiting demolition, low demand). I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Energy use in council buildings

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils operate hundreds of buildings, from offices and schools to leisure centres and depots. This data shows how much energy they use and whether consumption is falling in line with climate targets.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total energy consumption across all council-owned or operated buildings, broken down by energy type (electricity, gas, oil, other). 2. The total cost of energy for all council buildings. 3. The total carbon emissions from council buildings, in tonnes of CO2 equivalent. 4. A list of the ten highest energy-consuming buildings by total kWh. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s estates or sustainability team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Equal pay claims

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Equal pay claims have cost Scottish councils hundreds of millions of pounds. This data shows the current scale of claims and what has been spent resolving them.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The total number of equal pay claims currently outstanding against the authority. 2. The total amount paid in equal pay settlements during [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 3. The total amount paid in equal pay settlements since the authority first began receiving claims. 4. The total spent on legal fees in relation to equal pay claims during [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council or other public body that has received equal pay claims. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Equality impact assessments

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to consider the impact of their policies on people with protected characteristics. Equality impact assessments (EQIAs) document this analysis. They should be carried out before major decisions, but they are not always published.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information: The equality impact assessment carried out for [POLICY OR DECISION NAME], including any updated or revised versions. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The public authority that made the policy or decision. You can find the right authority in the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Flood risk assessments

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Flood risk assessments are carried out before developments are approved in areas that may be at risk of flooding. They are also produced as part of local flood risk management plans. These documents show what risks have been identified and what mitigation is planned.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information relating to [AREA OR DEVELOPMENT NAME]. 1. Any flood risk assessments carried out for this area or development. 2. Any recommendations made in those assessments. 3. Any conditions imposed as a result of the assessments. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council for planning-related assessments, or SEPA for strategic flood risk data. Use the Scottish Information Commissioner’s directory to find the right contact. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Fly-tipping incidents

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Fly-tipping is illegal dumping of waste on land that does not have a licence to accept it. This data shows the scale of the problem in your area and what is being done about it.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of fly-tipping incidents reported or recorded. 2. The total cost of clearing fly-tipped waste. 3. The number of fixed penalty notices issued for fly-tipping. 4. The number of prosecutions brought for fly-tipping offences and the number that resulted in a conviction. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s environmental services or waste management team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

FOI response times and compliance

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies are required to respond to FOI requests within 20 working days. This data shows how many requests an authority receives and whether it is meeting its legal obligations.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of FOI and EIR requests received. 2. The number of requests responded to within the statutory 20 working day deadline. 3. The number of requests where a fees notice was issued. 4. The number of requests refused in full or in part, broken down by the exemption or exception relied on. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Foster care allowances

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Foster carers receive a weekly allowance to cover the cost of looking after a child. Rates vary between councils and are not always published, so a request can help you find out how your council compares.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The weekly foster care allowance rate for each age band of child. 2. Any additional allowances or enhancements available (e.g. for children with complex needs, sibling groups, or holiday periods). 3. The fee or reward element paid to foster carers, if separate from the maintenance allowance. 4. The number of approved foster carers currently registered with the council. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s children’s services or fostering team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Free school meal uptake

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Free school meals are an important indicator of child poverty and a key measure of whether eligible families are taking up the support available. Uptake data by school helps identify where families may be missing out.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [SCHOOL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of pupils registered for free school meals, broken down by primary and secondary. 2. The average daily uptake rate for free school meals, broken down by school. 3. The number of pupils entitled to a free school meal who are not registered. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Gender pay gap

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The gender pay gap shows the difference between what men and women are paid on average. Public bodies are expected to report on their gender pay gap, but published figures often lack the breakdown needed to understand where the gap falls.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The mean and median gender pay gap across the whole organisation. 2. A breakdown of the gender pay gap by grade or pay band. 3. The proportion of male and female employees in each pay quartile (lower, lower middle, upper middle, upper). 4. The gender pay gap for part-time employees compared with full-time employees. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Gifts and hospitality register

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies require staff and elected members to declare gifts and hospitality received from external parties. Some authorities publish their register online, so check the authority’s website first. If it is not published, or if the published version lacks detail, this request will get you the full picture.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The gifts and hospitality register for all staff and elected members, showing the date, the name and role of the recipient, a description of the gift or hospitality, the estimated value, and the name of the provider. 2. The total number of entries recorded during the period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Glossary

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

A#

Absolute exemption: An exemption that does not require a public interest test. If it applies, the authority can withhold the information without weighing whether disclosure would serve the public interest. The absolute exemptions in FOISA are set out in section 2(2): section 25 (information otherwise accessible), section 26 (prohibitions on disclosure), section 36(2) (breach of confidence), section 37 (court records), and parts of section 38 (personal information, census information, deceased persons’ health records).
Applicant: The person or organisation that makes a freedom of information request. Anyone can be an applicant under FOISA — you do not need to give a reason for your request or live in Scotland.
Application to the Commissioner: The formal step of asking the Scottish Information Commissioner to investigate how an authority handled your request. Under FOISA, this is an application (section 47), not an appeal. You can make an application after an unsatisfactory internal review, or where the authority failed to carry out a review. The term “appeal” is reserved for the Court of Session stage (section 56).
Authority: Short for Scottish public authority — any organisation covered by FOISA. Councils, NHS boards, government agencies, Police Scotland, universities, and many others. A full list is maintained by the Scottish Information Commissioner.

B#

Bulk request: A request that asks for a large volume of information. Authorities sometimes describe these as burdensome, but volume alone is not grounds for refusal. The authority must still consider whether section 12 (excessive cost) genuinely applies.

C#

Case type: A label the Commissioner uses in decisions to describe the nature of the complaint: refusal of request, failure to respond, excessive fees, and so on.
Class-based exemption: An exemption that applies because information falls into a defined category, regardless of whether disclosure would cause harm. Section 25 (information otherwise accessible) is a straightforward example — if the information is already available, the exemption applies. No harm test is needed. Compare with prejudice-based exemptions, where the authority must show that disclosure would cause (or would be likely to cause) real harm.
Commissioner: The Scottish Information Commissioner. An independent officer who investigates complaints about how Scottish public authorities handle FOI and EIR requests. The Commissioner can require authorities to release information and can issue enforcement notices.
Consultation: Asking a third party for their views before deciding whether to release information. Authorities often consult when a request involves personal data, commercial interests, or information provided by another organisation.
Cost limit: The maximum an authority can spend locating, retrieving and providing information before it can refuse under section 12. Currently £600, calculated at up to £15 per hour of staff time — 40 hours in total. This covers the cost of finding, retrieving and providing the information, not the cost of considering exemptions or redacting documents.

D#

Decision notice: The formal document the Commissioner issues at the end of an investigation. It sets out findings and tells the authority what it must do. Decision notices are published on the Commissioner’s website. Sometimes called a “notice of decision.”
Deemed refusal: When an authority fails to respond within the 20 working day time limit, the law treats this as a refusal. Your next step is to request a review. You cannot go straight to the Commissioner without requesting a review first.
Designation order: A legal instrument that brings an organisation under FOISA even though it is not listed in the Act. The Scottish Ministers can make a designation order for any organisation that appears to carry out functions of a public nature.
Disclosure: Releasing information to the person who requested it. Under FOISA, disclosure to one applicant is treated as disclosure to the world — the authority cannot control what the applicant does with the information afterwards.

E#

EIR: The Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004. A separate regime giving you the right to access environmental information held by Scottish public authorities. EIR operates alongside FOISA but differs from it in several ways: the definition of “public authority” is broader, there is a presumption in favour of disclosure (regulation 10(2)(b)), all exceptions are subject to the public interest test, authorities can charge for staff time, and information about emissions receives special protection against withholding.
Enforcement notice: A notice the Commissioner can issue requiring an authority to take specific steps to comply with FOISA. Different from a decision notice — enforcement notices address wider patterns of non-compliance rather than individual requests.
Environmental information: Information about the state of the environment, factors affecting it, or measures designed to protect it. Requests for environmental information are handled under the EIR rather than FOISA, even if you do not mention the EIR in your request. The authority is responsible for identifying which regime applies.
Exception: The EIR equivalent of an exemption. Under the EIR, reasons for withholding information are called “exceptions” (set out in regulations 10(4) and 10(5)). Unlike FOISA exemptions, all EIR exceptions are subject to the public interest test — there are no absolute exceptions.
Exemption: A legal reason for withholding information under FOISA. The exemptions are in sections 25 to 41. Some are absolute (no public interest test) and some are qualified (the authority must weigh whether the public interest favours disclosure). See also exception for the EIR equivalent.

F#

Fees: Charges an authority can ask you to pay before providing information. Under FOISA, most requests are free. If the projected cost is £100 or less, you pay nothing. Above that, the authority can charge 10% of the cost between £100 and £600, so the most you would pay is £50. Staff time for finding and providing the information counts towards the cost, capped at £15 an hour. Under the EIR the rules are different: authorities can charge a reasonable amount, and staff time can be included in the calculation.
FOISA: The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The main law giving you the right to access information held by Scottish public authorities. It came into force on 1 January 2005.
Formal notice: A written notice an authority issues when it refuses your request, applies an exemption, or charges a fee. The notice must tell you which exemption applies, why, and how to ask for a review.

G#

Good practice: Guidance the Commissioner publishes on how authorities should handle requests. Good practice recommendations are not legally binding, but the Commissioner expects authorities to follow them.

H#

Harm test: The assessment an authority must carry out for prejudice-based exemptions. The authority must show that disclosure would, or would be likely to, cause real and significant harm to the interest the exemption protects. Sometimes called a “prejudice test.” Several FOISA exemptions require the authority to show that the prejudice would be “substantial.”
Historical record: A record generally becomes historical 15 years after it was created. Some FOISA exemptions stop applying to historical records, making older information easier to access. A few last longer: the confidentiality exemption (section 36) lasts 30 years, honours (section 41(b)) 60 years, and some investigation, law enforcement and personal-records exemptions up to 100 years.

I#

Information notice: A notice the Commissioner can issue requiring an authority to provide information needed for an investigation. Failure to comply can be treated as contempt of court.
Internal review: The first stage of challenging an authority’s decision. You ask the authority to look again, and a different (usually more senior) person reviews whether the original decision was correct. The authority has 20 working days to complete the review. The formal name in FOISA is a “requirement for review.” You do not need to give detailed reasons, but it helps to explain why you think the decision was wrong.

L#

Legal professional privilege: The exemption in section 36(1) that protects communications between a lawyer and client, and documents created for the purpose of legal proceedings. This is a qualified exemption — even if the exemption applies, the authority must still consider whether the public interest in disclosure outweighs the public interest in maintaining the exemption. In practice, the Commissioner has recognised a strong built-in public interest in maintaining legal professional privilege, so it is not often overridden, but it can be.

M#

Manifestly unreasonable: A ground for refusing a request under the EIR (regulation 10(4)(b)). An authority can refuse if it considers the request manifestly unreasonable, but this is a high bar. The authority must explain why and consider whether it could provide part of the information instead.
Model publication scheme: A template approved by the Commissioner setting out the classes of information every Scottish public authority must proactively publish. All authorities must adopt the model publication scheme.

N#

NCND: Neither confirm nor deny. In some cases, simply telling you whether information exists would itself cause harm. The authority can issue a response that neither confirms nor denies it holds the information. Only available for certain exemptions (sections 28 to 35, 38, 39(1) and 41), and only where the information, if held, would be exempt and revealing whether it exists would be contrary to the public interest.
Notice of decision: See decision notice.

O#

OSIC: The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner. This is the organisation that supports the Commissioner. OSIC investigates complaints, publishes guidance, and promotes good practice.
Outcome: The result of a Commissioner investigation. The complaint is either upheld (the applicant was right), not upheld (the authority was right), or partially upheld.

P#

Personal data: Information that identifies a living individual, or from which a living individual can be identified. Requests for your own personal data are handled under data protection law (a subject access request) rather than FOISA. Requests for other people’s personal data are handled under section 38 of FOISA.
Prejudice test: See harm test.
Presumption in favour of disclosure: A principle written into the EIR at regulation 10(2)(b). When applying any exception under the EIR, the authority must start from the position that the information should be disclosed. There is no exact equivalent in FOISA, though the public interest test under FOISA tips towards disclosure when the arguments are evenly balanced.
Proactive publication: Information an authority publishes without being asked. The model publication scheme requires authorities to publish certain types of information routinely, reducing the need for individual FOI requests.
Public interest test: The balancing exercise an authority must carry out when applying a qualified exemption under FOISA (or any exception under the EIR). Even if an exemption or exception applies, the authority must consider whether the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in withholding it. Where the competing interests are evenly balanced, the information should be disclosed.
Publication scheme: A document listing the types of information an authority publishes as a matter of course. Every Scottish public authority must have one, based on the model publication scheme approved by the Commissioner.

Q#

Qualified exemption: An exemption that requires a public interest test. Even if the exemption applies, the authority must weigh whether the public interest in disclosure outweighs the public interest in withholding. Most FOISA exemptions are qualified. All EIR exceptions work this way.

R#

Recorded information: Information held in any form: paper documents, emails, databases, recordings, notes. FOISA only covers recorded information. If an authority holds knowledge in someone’s head but has never recorded it, FOISA does not require it to create a record.
Redaction: Removing or blanking out parts of a document before releasing it. Authorities use redaction when some information in a document is exempt but the rest can be disclosed.
Refusal notice: A written notice from an authority telling you it is refusing your request. It must explain which exemptions apply and why, and tell you how to ask for a review.
Requirement for review: The formal name for an internal review request under FOISA. You ask the authority to review its decision. The authority has 20 working days. You do not need to give detailed reasons, but it helps to explain why you disagree with the decision.

S#

Scottish Information Commissioner: See Commissioner.
Section 12: The provision in FOISA allowing an authority to refuse a request if complying would cost more than £600 in staff time for locating, retrieving and providing the information. If section 12 applies, the authority must offer advice on how to narrow the request.
Section 60 Code: The Code of Practice issued by Scottish Ministers under section 60 of FOISA. It sets out standards for handling FOI requests, including timescales, transfers, and record keeping.
Subject access request: A request for your own personal data, made under data protection law (UK GDPR). Separate from a freedom of information request. If you ask for your own personal data under FOISA, the authority should treat it as a subject access request instead.
Substantial prejudice: A higher threshold of harm used in some FOISA exemptions. The authority must show that disclosure would cause significant and real damage — not just minor or speculative harm.

T#

Third party: A person or organisation other than the applicant and the authority. Authorities often consult third parties when a request involves information about or provided by them.
Time limit: The deadline for an authority to respond. Under FOISA, 20 working days from the date the authority receives the request. The same 20-day limit applies to internal reviews. Under the EIR, the standard time limit is also 20 working days, but it can be extended to 40 working days where the volume and complexity of the information make the 20-day limit impracticable.
Transfer of request: Under the EIRs, an authority can pass your request to another authority that it believes holds the information. FOISA does not allow this. If a FOISA request is sent to the wrong authority, they must tell you they don’t hold the information and advise you who to contact instead. You then need to make a new request to the right authority.

U#

Upheld: When the Commissioner agrees with the applicant’s complaint — meaning the authority handled the request incorrectly. “Not upheld” means the authority’s decision was correct.

V#

Vexatious request: A request an authority can refuse under section 14 of FOISA because it is designed to cause disruption or annoyance rather than to obtain information. This is a high bar. The right of access is a constitutional one, and an authority cannot refuse simply because it finds the topic annoying or the applicant difficult.

W#

Withholding: Refusing to release information. An authority can only withhold information if a specific exemption or exception applies. For qualified exemptions and all EIR exceptions, it must also pass the public interest test.
Working days: Days that are not weekends or national Scottish bank holidays. Local or council holidays (like the Glasgow Fair or local trades holidays) still count as working days and do not pause the FOI clock.

GP appointment waiting times

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

National surveys ask patients about GP access, but practice-level data on actual waiting times is not routinely published. A request to the NHS board can get you the real numbers for your local practice.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [PRACTICE NAME] for [QUARTER e.g. January to March 2025]: 1. The average number of days between a patient requesting a routine appointment and being seen. 2. The number of appointments offered during the quarter, broken down by type (face-to-face, telephone, video). 3. The number of appointments where the patient did not attend (DNA rate). 4. The number of days during the quarter when no routine appointments were available to book. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The relevant NHS board. GP practices are contracted by the NHS board, but they are independent contractors - the board only holds the practice-level data it has collected, and may not hold day-to-day appointment-system data. Use the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities to find the right board for your area. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Grants to external organisations

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies award grants to charities, community groups, and businesses. An FOI request can reveal who is receiving public funding and how much.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. A list of all grants or funding awards made to external organisations, showing the name of the recipient, the amount awarded, and the purpose of the grant. 2. The total value of all grants awarded during the period. 3. The number of grant applications received and the number refused. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority that awards grants: councils, the Scottish Government, and agencies such as Creative Scotland or sportscotland. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Healthcare-associated infections

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Healthcare-associated infections are a serious patient safety issue. An FOI request can reveal how well a hospital is controlling the spread of infections, and where problems are concentrated.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of healthcare-associated infections recorded, broken down by infection type (e.g. MRSA, C. difficile, E. coli, surgical site infections). 2. A breakdown by hospital site. 3. The number of infection-related ward closures or bed closures during the period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local NHS board. Find the right board on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Homelessness applications and outcomes

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Every council in Scotland has a legal duty to assess people who present as homeless. The numbers tell you how well local homelessness services are actually working.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of homelessness applications received. 2. The number of applicants assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness. 3. A breakdown of the type of duty owed to each applicant (e.g. provision of settled accommodation, provision of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance). 4. The number of cases closed during the same period and the outcome for each (e.g. settled accommodation secured, lost contact, application withdrawn). I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s housing or homelessness team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Hospital bed occupancy rates

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

High bed occupancy rates can affect patient safety and the ability to admit new patients. Requesting this data can show how much pressure your local hospital is under.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The average monthly bed occupancy rate for each hospital site in the board area. 2. A breakdown of occupancy by ward type (e.g. acute medical, surgical, maternity, mental health). 3. The number of days during the period when occupancy exceeded 95% at any site. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local NHS board. Find the right board on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Hospital waiting times

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

NHS boards track how long patients wait for treatment. Published statistics often cover Scotland as a whole. Requesting data for a specific hospital or specialty gives a more detailed picture.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [HOSPITAL NAME] as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The number of patients waiting for a first outpatient appointment, broken down by specialty. 2. For each specialty, the number of patients who had been waiting longer than 12 weeks. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The relevant NHS board. Use the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities to find the right board for your area. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Housing land supply

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils are required to maintain an adequate supply of land for housing. An FOI request can reveal whether enough land is being brought forward and whether completions are meeting local demand.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information: 1. The current effective housing land supply in years, as calculated in the council's most recent housing land audit. 2. The total number of housing completions for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25], broken down by tenure (private, affordable, social rent). 3. The number of sites with planning permission where development has not yet started, and the total number of units on those sites. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s planning or housing strategy team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Information not held

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this response means#

The authority is saying it simply does not have the information you asked for. Under section 17 of FOISA, if the authority doesn’t hold the information, it must tell you so.

This is not an exemption - the authority isn’t claiming the information is sensitive or protected. It’s saying the information doesn’t exist in its possession. But “not held” doesn’t always mean what it seems.

Internal audit reports

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Internal audit teams review how well a public body manages its risks, finances, and operations. Their reports highlight weaknesses and make recommendations for improvement.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information: 1. A list of all internal audit reports completed during [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25], showing the title and the assurance rating given (e.g. substantial, reasonable, limited, no assurance). 2. A copy of any internal audit report that received a rating of limited assurance or below. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Internal review request template

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is an internal review?#

An internal review is your first step after receiving a refusal. You can write to the authority and ask them to look at their decision again. The authority will look at your request again, and reconsider whether the refusal was correct.

It’s free, and you don’t need a lawyer. You just need to explain what you disagree with and why.

IT systems and contracts

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies spend significant sums on IT systems. Knowing what systems are in use, who supplies them, and what they cost helps the public understand whether technology spending represents good value.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information: A list of all IT systems currently in use for delivering services or managing core business functions, including for each system: 1. The name and purpose of the system. 2. The supplier. 3. The annual licence or contract cost. 4. The contract expiry date. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Late response or no response

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this means#

The authority has not responded to your request within the time allowed by law. Under section 10 of FOISA, a Scottish public authority must respond to your request promptly and in any event within 20 working days of receiving it.

This is not an exemption or a discretionary matter - it’s a legal requirement. Failure to respond in time is a breach of the Act, and the Scottish Information Commissioner takes it seriously.

Legal costs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies sometimes spend large sums on external lawyers for litigation, judicial reviews, employment tribunals, and other legal matters. These costs are paid from public funds.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total amount spent on external legal services. 2. For each matter where external legal fees exceeded [AMOUNT e.g. £10,000], please provide: a. The nature of the matter, without identifying any individuals involved. b. The law firm instructed. c. The total fees paid. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Leisure centre usage and costs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Many councils operate or fund leisure centres, swimming pools, and sports facilities. An FOI request can reveal how well they are being used and what they cost the public purse.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of visits to each leisure facility operated or funded by the council. 2. The total operating cost for each facility. 3. The total income generated by each facility (including membership fees, pay-and-play, and any other charges). 4. The net subsidy from the council to each facility (i.e. operating cost minus income). I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council or the leisure trust that operates facilities on the council’s behalf. Many councils have transferred leisure services to arm’s-length trusts. Find the right body on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Library services and closures

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public libraries are a statutory service. An FOI request can show whether your council is maintaining library provision or quietly cutting it back.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of public libraries operated by the council. 2. The total number of active borrowers and the total number of items issued (physical and digital). 3. The total weekly opening hours for each library, and any changes to opening hours compared with the previous year. 4. The number of library staff (FTE) and any change compared with the previous year. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s libraries or culture department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Lobbying meetings and external interests

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Meetings between senior officials and external interests, including lobbyists, developers, and industry bodies, can influence policy decisions. An FOI request can show who is getting access and how often.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [PERIOD e.g. January to December 2024]: 1. A list of all meetings between [ROLE e.g. the Chief Executive, council leader, or board chair] and external organisations, showing the date, the organisation met, and the subject discussed. 2. Any briefing papers or agendas prepared for these meetings. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority. For meetings with Scottish Government ministers, submit your request to the Scottish Government. For council leaders or chief executives, submit to the relevant council. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Looked-after children placements

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Looked-after children may be placed in foster care, residential homes, or other settings. Placement type matters for the child’s wellbeing and makes a big difference to cost.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]: 1. The total number of looked-after children. 2. A breakdown by placement type (council foster care, independent agency foster care, council residential home, independent residential provider, kinship care, other). 3. The number of children placed outside the council area. 4. The average weekly cost per child for each placement type in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s children’s services department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Mental health waiting times

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Demand for mental health services has grown across Scotland. National waiting time targets exist, but local data tells you whether people in your area are actually being seen on time.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [QUARTER e.g. January to March 2025]: 1. The number of referrals received for [SERVICE e.g. adult mental health / child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS)]. 2. The number of patients seen for a first assessment during the quarter. 3. The number of patients waiting for a first assessment at the end of the quarter, broken down by waiting time (under 4 weeks, 4 to 12 weeks, 12 to 18 weeks, over 18 weeks). 4. The number of patients waiting to start treatment after assessment at the end of the quarter. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Ministerial correspondence

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Correspondence between ministers and public bodies can reveal how decisions are made, what advice is given, and what pressure is applied. The Scottish Information Commissioner has ordered disclosure of ministerial correspondence in multiple cases.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information: 1. All correspondence between [AUTHORITY NAME or NAMED OFFICIAL] and [MINISTER or SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT DIRECTORATE] relating to [TOPIC e.g. the closure of a service, a policy decision, a funding allocation] during [PERIOD e.g. January 2024 to December 2024]. This includes letters, emails, and any attachments. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

You can send this to either the public body or the Scottish Government, as both hold copies of the correspondence. If one refuses, try the other. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Missing persons reports

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Police Scotland handles thousands of missing persons reports each year. Many involve vulnerable people, including children in care. The figures reveal the scale of the problem and how quickly people are found.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of missing persons reports received. 2. A breakdown by age group (e.g. under 16, 16–17, 18–64, 65 and over). 3. The number of repeat missing reports (where the same person was reported missing more than once during the period). 4. The average time from report to the person being found safe. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

Neither confirm nor deny (NCND)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this response means#

The authority is refusing to even tell you whether it holds the information you asked for. This is known as a “neither confirm nor deny” response, or NCND. Under section 18 of FOISA, an authority can give this response when simply confirming or denying that it holds information would itself reveal something that is exempt.

This is a legitimate tool, but it is sometimes misused. The key test is not whether the information itself is sensitive - it’s whether the act of saying “yes, we have it” or “no, we don’t” would cause the harm that the underlying exemption is designed to prevent.

NHS agency and locum staff spending

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

NHS boards use agency nurses and locum doctors to fill gaps in their workforce. Annual accounts include a total figure, but not which departments are spending the most or how many shifts are being covered.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total spend on agency nursing staff. 2. The total spend on locum medical staff (doctors). 3. For each, a breakdown by department or specialty (e.g. emergency medicine, general surgery, mental health, general medicine). 4. The number of shifts filled by agency or locum staff during the period, if recorded. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

NHS complaints

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

NHS boards handle thousands of complaints each year. The numbers show which services generate the most concern and whether complaints are being resolved.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of complaints received. 2. A breakdown of complaints by service area or department. 3. The number of complaints upheld, partially upheld, and not upheld. 4. The average time taken to respond to complaints at each stage of the complaints process. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local NHS board. Find the right board on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Noise assessments

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Noise assessments are carried out as part of planning applications for developments that may generate significant noise, such as wind farms, industrial sites, music venues, or major roads. They are also produced for noise action plans under the Environmental Noise Directive.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information relating to [DEVELOPMENT OR AREA NAME]. 1. Any noise impact assessments submitted or commissioned. 2. The predicted noise levels at the nearest sensitive receptors (e.g. homes, schools). 3. Any noise conditions attached to the planning consent or licence. 4. Any monitoring results showing actual noise levels after the development became operational. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s planning or environmental health department. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Overtime spending

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Overtime spending can be a sign of understaffing or poor workforce planning. The figures show which departments are relying most heavily on overtime and how much it costs.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total cost of overtime payments across the authority. 2. A breakdown of overtime costs by department or service area. 3. The total number of overtime hours worked across the authority. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Parking enforcement

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils enforce parking restrictions and issue penalty charge notices. You can find out which streets are most heavily enforced, how much revenue parking generates, and how often drivers successfully appeal.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of penalty charge notices (parking tickets) issued. 2. A breakdown of tickets issued by street or area (top 20 locations by volume). 3. The total revenue collected from parking penalties. 4. The number of appeals or challenges received and the number upheld in favour of the driver. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s parking or roads department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Payments to a named supplier

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

If you want to know how much a public body is paying a particular company, you can ask for the total value of payments. This is useful for tracking outsourcing, major contracts, or potential conflicts of interest.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information about payments made to [COMPANY NAME] in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total amount paid to this company during the period. 2. A list of each payment, showing the date, the amount, and what the payment was for. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority that you believe has a contract or relationship with the company. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Pest control services

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils provide pest control services for homes and businesses. The figures show what pests are most common in your area and whether the service is keeping up with demand.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of pest control callouts or service requests received. 2. A breakdown of requests by pest type (e.g. rats, mice, wasps, bedbugs, cockroaches). 3. The average waiting time from request to first visit. 4. Whether the council charges for domestic pest control treatments and, if so, the current charge for each pest type. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s environmental health department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Planning decision correspondence

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Planning decisions affect communities directly. The correspondence between planners, developers, and consultees shows how a decision was reached and whether all relevant factors were considered.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information about planning application [REFERENCE NUMBER]: 1. All correspondence between the planning department and the applicant or their agent. 2. All consultation responses received from statutory and non-statutory consultees. 3. Any internal planning department correspondence about the application. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The local council’s planning department. You can find your council in the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Planning enforcement action

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When development takes place without permission or in breach of planning conditions, councils can take enforcement action. The figures show how actively your council enforces planning rules.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of planning enforcement complaints or reports received. 2. The number of enforcement notices served, broken down by type (e.g. enforcement notice, breach of condition notice, stop notice). 3. The number of enforcement cases resolved without formal action. 4. The number of cases still open as at the end of the period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s planning enforcement team. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Prescribing costs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

NHS boards spend significant sums on prescribing medicines. The figures show where the money goes and whether costs are rising or falling in particular areas.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total cost of prescribing across the board area. 2. A breakdown of prescribing costs by the ten highest-cost therapeutic categories. 3. The number of prescription items dispensed in each of those categories. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local NHS board. Find the right board on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Prison complaints

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Prisoners have the right to make complaints about their treatment and conditions. The figures show what prisoners are complaining about and whether complaints are being resolved.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of complaints received from prisoners across all establishments, or at [NAMED PRISON]. 2. A breakdown of complaints by category (e.g. healthcare, conditions, staff conduct, regime, transfers). 3. The number of complaints upheld, partially upheld, and not upheld. 4. The average time taken to respond to complaints. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Privacy

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What we collect#

This site collects no personal data and has no analytics.

It is hosted on Cloudflare Pages, which may process connection-level data (such as IP addresses) as part of normal operation. See Cloudflare’s privacy policy for details.

Procurement contract awards

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies spend billions of pounds each year on goods, services, and works through procurement contracts. The figures show which suppliers are winning public contracts and at what value.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. A list of all contracts awarded with a value above [THRESHOLD e.g. £50,000], showing the contract title, the supplier name, the contract value, and the contract start and end dates. 2. The number of contracts awarded following a competitive tender and the number awarded through direct award or single-source procurement. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Pupil attendance and absence rates

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Regular attendance is closely linked to educational outcomes. Absence data by school shows where attendance is a concern and what kinds of absence are most common.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [SCHOOL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The overall attendance rate for each school in the authority. 2. A breakdown of absence by category (e.g. authorised, unauthorised, sickness, family holiday) for each school. 3. The number of pupils with attendance below 80% (sometimes categorised as severely absent), broken down by primary and secondary. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Regulation 10(4)(a) - Information not held

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying it does not hold the environmental information you asked for. Under the EIRs, “held” means information in the authority’s possession that was produced or received by it, or information held by another person on the authority’s behalf.

Unlike FOISA, all EIR exceptions are subject to a public interest test and must be interpreted restrictively. There is a presumption in favour of disclosure.

Regulation 10(4)(b) - Manifestly unreasonable requests

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying your request is “manifestly unreasonable.” This is the EIR equivalent of the “vexatious” provision under FOISA (section 14), but with an important difference: under the EIRs, this exception is subject to a public interest test. Under FOISA, section 14 is a procedural refusal with no public interest test.

The word “manifestly” sets a high bar. A request is not manifestly unreasonable simply because it involves a lot of work. The authority must show that the request is clearly and obviously unreasonable - mere inconvenience is not enough.

Regulation 10(4)(c) - Request too general

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying your request was too vague or general for it to identify the information you want. This exception can only be used if the authority has first asked you to clarify your request and helped you make it more specific.

Unlike FOISA, all EIR exceptions are subject to a public interest test and must be interpreted restrictively. There is a presumption in favour of disclosure.

Regulation 10(4)(d) - Material in the course of completion

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying the information you asked for relates to material that is still being completed, unfinished documents, or incomplete data. This exception is designed to protect work in progress from premature disclosure.

Unlike FOISA, all EIR exceptions are subject to a public interest test and must be interpreted restrictively. There is a presumption in favour of disclosure.

Regulation 10(4)(e) - Internal communications

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying the information is an internal communication - for example, internal emails, meeting notes, or documents circulated within the organisation. This is a class-based exception, meaning the authority doesn’t need to show that disclosure would cause harm. But it still must pass the public interest test.

This exception is frequently overused. It is the EIR equivalent of section 30 of FOISA, and authorities misuse it in similar ways - applying it too broadly without genuinely engaging with the public interest test.

Regulation 10(5)(a) - International relations, defence, national security, public safety

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to one or more of: international relations, defence, national security, or public safety.

This is one of the broadest EIR exceptions - it covers four distinct interests. But the authority must specify which one it is relying on and explain how disclosure would cause harm. Simply citing the regulation number is not enough.

Regulation 10(5)(b) - Course of justice and inquiries

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to the course of justice, the ability of a person to receive a fair trial, or the ability of a public authority to conduct an inquiry of a criminal or disciplinary nature.

This exception is sometimes used to protect legal professional privilege (legal advice or litigation documents) or to safeguard ongoing investigations. But the authority must show specific harm, not just that a legal proceeding exists.

Regulation 10(5)(c) - Intellectual property rights

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to intellectual property rights. IP rights include copyright, database rights, and patents.

This exception is relatively uncommon. It is not enough to show that information is subject to IP rights - the authority must show that disclosure would actually cause harm to the rights holder. Since disclosure under the EIRs does not transfer ownership of IP rights, the rights continue to exist after disclosure.

Regulation 10(5)(d) - Confidentiality of proceedings

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to the confidentiality of proceedings where such confidentiality is provided for by law.

The key phrase is “provided for by law” - there must be a legal basis for the confidentiality, not just an internal policy or convention. The authority must also show that disclosure would cause substantial prejudice, not merely that the proceedings are confidential.

Regulation 10(5)(e) - Commercial or industrial confidentiality

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information, where that confidentiality is provided for by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.

This is one of the most frequently overclaimed EIR exceptions, particularly for information about public contracts and commercial arrangements involving public money. The Commissioner has overturned many refusals under this exception where the claimed harm was speculative or where the public interest in transparency was strong.

Regulation 10(5)(f) - Interests of the information provider

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to the interests of the person who voluntarily provided the information. This exception is designed to encourage the voluntary flow of information to public authorities - for example, information from research surveys, whistleblowing, or voluntary submissions.

This exception has three strict preconditions that must all be met before it can even be considered. If any one of them fails, the exception cannot apply - regardless of any harm claim.

Regulation 10(5)(g) - Protection of the environment

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, cause substantial prejudice to the protection of the environment to which the information relates.

This is the unusual exception in the EIRs - it exists to protect the environment rather than to protect institutional interests. For example, disclosing the location of rare or endangered species could lead to disturbance or poaching. In these cases, the public interest may genuinely favour withholding.

Regulation 11 - Personal data

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exception means#

The authority is saying the information is personal data and that disclosing it would breach data protection law. This is the EIR equivalent of FOISA section 38.

Regulation 11 has two parts:

Regulation 11(1) - if the information is your own personal data, it cannot be disclosed under the EIRs. Instead, you should make a Subject Access Request under data protection law.
Regulation 11(2) - if the information is someone else’s personal data, it can only be disclosed if doing so would not breach the data protection principles (primarily the requirement that processing is lawful and fair).

Important: Regulation 11 sits outside regulation 10, so it works differently depending on which condition the authority relies on. In the usual case - the first condition, that disclosure would breach the data protection principles - there is no separate public interest test, but an equivalent balancing exercise is built into the data protection principles themselves, through the legitimate interests test under Article 6(1)(f) of the UK GDPR. In the two rarer cases - the second condition (the person has objected to processing under Article 21 of the UK GDPR) and the third condition (the person would not get the data through their own subject access request) - regulation 11 requires an explicit public interest test: the data can only be withheld if the public interest in making it available is outweighed by the public interest in not doing so.

Risk assessments

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies maintain risk registers that record identified risks to projects, services, and finances, along with how they plan to manage them. These documents show what could go wrong and whether there is a plan to deal with it.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information: The current risk register or risk assessment for [PROJECT OR SERVICE NAME], including the description of each risk, its likelihood and impact rating, and the planned mitigations. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The public authority responsible for the project or service. You can find the right authority in the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Road and pothole repairs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils are responsible for maintaining public roads. The number of pothole reports and how quickly they are fixed tells you how well the roads service is performing in your area.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of pothole or road defect reports received. 2. The average time between a report being received and the repair being completed. 3. The number of reports still outstanding as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025]. 4. The total amount spent on pothole and road surface repairs. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s roads department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Road maintenance budget and spending

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils are responsible for maintaining local roads. These requests reveal how much is being spent, whether spending is keeping pace with deterioration, and which roads are in the worst condition.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total budget allocated for road maintenance (capital and revenue separately). 2. The total actual expenditure on road maintenance during the period. 3. The percentage of the road network classified as in need of maintenance, based on the council's most recent road condition survey. 4. The estimated backlog of road maintenance work, in monetary terms. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Road safety incidents

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils hold data on road traffic accidents reported in their area. You can use it to find out which roads and junctions have the most accidents.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [CALENDAR YEAR e.g. 2024]: 1. The total number of road traffic accidents reported in the authority area. 2. A breakdown by severity (fatal, serious injury, slight injury). 3. The locations with the highest number of accidents (top 10 junctions or road sections). 4. For each of the top 10 locations, any speed survey data collected during the same period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

School budgets and per-pupil spending

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Schools are funded by councils, but the amount each school gets varies. Per-pupil spending lets you see whether your local school is getting its fair share.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [SCHOOL NAME] for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total budget allocation for the school. 2. A breakdown of the budget by category (staffing, premises, supplies, other). 3. The number of pupils on the school roll used to calculate the budget. 4. The per-pupil spending figure. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

School building conditions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils are responsible for maintaining school buildings. Condition survey data shows which schools need the most work and whether maintenance has been deferred.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information: 1. The condition rating for each school building in the authority, using the School Estate Core Facts A to D scale. 2. The date of the most recent condition survey for each school. 3. The total estimated cost of outstanding maintenance and repair work across the school estate. 4. A list of any schools rated C (poor) or D (bad). I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s education or property services department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

School exclusions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

School exclusions affect children’s education. The Scottish Government publishes national statistics, but local data shows what is happening at individual schools.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The number of temporary exclusions, broken down by school. 2. The number of exclusions resulting in removal from the register, broken down by school. 3. For each school, a breakdown of exclusions by whatever reason categories the authority records. 4. The total number of school days lost to exclusion across the authority. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

School inspection follow-up actions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (which took over school inspections from Education Scotland in March 2026) inspects a school and identifies areas for improvement, the council is expected to take action. Inspection reports are published, but the follow-up is often not.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Following the inspection of [SCHOOL NAME] published on [INSPECTION REPORT DATE], please provide: 1. The action plan produced in response to the inspection findings. 2. Any progress reports on that action plan. 3. Any correspondence between the council's education department and the school about the inspection findings. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

The local council responsible for the school. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Section 12 - Excessive cost of compliance

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this refusal means#

The authority is saying that it would cost more than £600 to find and retrieve the information you asked for. This is a cost limit set by regulations - it’s based on staff time at £15 per hour, which means the authority is claiming it would take more than 40 hours of work to locate, retrieve and provide the information.

Section 14 - Vexatious requests

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this refusal means#

The authority is saying your request is vexatious. This is one of the most contentious refusals in freedom of information, and it’s important to understand what it does and doesn’t mean.

A vexatious request is one that would impose a significant burden on the authority and has some aggravating feature - for example, it has no serious purpose or value, is designed to cause disruption, or would harass the authority. Being told your request is vexatious can feel like a personal attack - but legally, it’s the request that must be vexatious, not the person making it.

Section 25 - Information otherwise accessible

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying you don’t need to use freedom of information to get this information because it’s already available to you through other means - for example, on their website, in a publication, or through another access route.

This is an absolute exemption, so there is no public interest test. But the authority must still meet specific conditions.

Section 26 - Prohibitions on disclosure

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that another law - not FOISA - prevents them from disclosing the information. This could be an Act of Parliament, a regulation, or a rule about contempt of court.

This is an absolute exemption, so there is no public interest test. But the authority must identify the specific legal prohibition.

What the authority must show#

For this exemption to be validly applied, the authority must demonstrate that:

Section 27 - Information intended for future publication

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying it plans to publish the information, so you should wait for the planned publication rather than getting it through FOI.

This is a qualified exemption, so even if the conditions are met, the authority must also show that the public interest in withholding outweighs the public interest in disclosing.

What the authority must show#

Section 27 contains two separate exemptions:

Section 28 - Relations within the United Kingdom

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that releasing the information would damage - or would be likely to damage - the relationship between the Scottish Government and another UK administration (the UK Government, the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly, or the Welsh Government).

This is a qualified exemption, so the authority must also show that the public interest in withholding outweighs the public interest in disclosing.

Section 29 - Formulation of Scottish Administration policy

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying the information relates to the internal workings of Scottish Government policy-making. This covers things like policy options being considered, communications between ministers, advice from law officers, and the work of ministerial private offices.

This is a qualified exemption and a “class-based” exemption - it applies based on the category of information, not on demonstrating specific harm. But the authority must still pass the public interest test.

Section 30 - Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would harm its ability - or the ability of Scottish Ministers - to conduct public affairs effectively. This is one of the most commonly used exemptions and one the Scottish Information Commissioner frequently overturns.

This is a qualified exemption, so the authority must pass the public interest test even if the exemption itself applies.

Section 31 - National security and defence

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would harm national security or the defence of the United Kingdom. This is a serious exemption, but it still has legal requirements the authority must meet.

This is a qualified exemption, so the public interest test applies. However, be aware that a ministerial certificate under section 31(2) can make this exemption very difficult to challenge.

Section 32 - International relations

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would harm the United Kingdom’s international relations, or that the information was received in confidence from a foreign government or international organisation.

This is a qualified exemption, so the authority must pass the public interest test.

What the authority must show#

Section 32 has two parts:

Section 33 - Commercial interests and the economy

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would harm commercial or economic interests. Section 33 contains four distinct exemptions covering trade secrets, commercial interests, the UK economy, and the financial interests of UK administrations. Section 33(1) is the most commonly used, particularly for information about contracts and procurement.

This is a qualified exemption, so the authority must pass the public interest test.

Section 34 - Investigations by Scottish public authorities

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying the information was held for the purposes of a criminal investigation, a Fatal Accident Inquiry, an investigation involving confidential sources, or related civil proceedings. This exemption is rarely used against members of the public.

This is a qualified exemption, and all parts are class-based - the authority does not need to demonstrate harm, only that the information falls within the relevant category. But the public interest test still applies, and it is the key consideration.

Section 35 - Law enforcement

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice one or more law enforcement functions or activities. Section 35 covers a wide range of purposes including the prevention and detection of crime, prosecution of offenders, tax assessment, immigration controls, and various regulatory functions.

This is a qualified exemption, so the authority must pass the public interest test even if the exemption itself applies.

Section 36 - Confidentiality

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying the information is confidential. Section 36 contains two separate exemptions:

Section 36(1) - the information is subject to legal professional privilege (a claim to confidentiality of communications could be maintained in legal proceedings). This is a qualified exemption - the public interest test applies.
Section 36(2) - disclosing the information would constitute an actionable breach of confidence. This is an absolute exemption - the public interest test in FOISA does not apply, although the law of confidence itself includes a public interest defence.

Section 37 - Court records

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying the information is exempt because it is contained in a document that is part of court proceedings, an inquiry, or an arbitration. This exemption exists because courts are not public authorities under FOISA, so it prevents FOISA from being used as a back door to access court documents through the public authority that happens to hold a copy.

Section 38 - Personal information

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying the information is exempt because it is personal data. Section 38 is one of the most commonly used exemptions and contains several different parts:

Section 38(1)(a) - the information is your own personal data. This is an absolute exemption, but you have a right to access your own data through a Subject Access Request (SAR) under data protection law instead.

Section 39 - Health, safety and the environment

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

Section 39 contains two unrelated exemptions:

Section 39(1) - disclosure would, or would be likely to, endanger the physical or mental health or safety of an individual. This covers genuine risks of harm to identifiable people.
Section 39(2) - the information is environmental information that must be handled under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs). This is a technical exemption that routes environmental requests to the EIR regime.

Section 40 - Audit functions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying that disclosing the information would substantially prejudice its ability to carry out audit functions - specifically, auditing other public authorities’ accounts or examining how efficiently they use their resources.

This is a qualified exemption, so the authority must pass the public interest test even if the exemption itself applies.

What the authority must show#

Section 40 has two separate limbs:

Section 41 - Communications with His Majesty etc.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What this exemption means#

The authority is saying the information relates to communications with the King, members of the Royal Family, or the Royal Household - or to the exercise of the prerogative of honour (the honours system).

This is a qualified exemption and is class-based, meaning the authority does not need to demonstrate specific harm. However, it must still carry out a public interest test.

Senior staff pay and expenses

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies must account for how they spend public money, including what they pay their most senior staff. This information is sometimes published in annual accounts, but often not broken down in useful detail.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. For each employee earning above [THRESHOLD e.g. £80,000] per year, please provide: 1. Their job title. 2. Their total salary. 3. Any bonuses or performance-related payments received. 4. The total expenses claimed. I am not asking for the names of individuals, only job titles. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Settlement agreements

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Settlement agreements, sometimes called compromise agreements, are used when staff leave following a dispute. They often include confidentiality clauses. This data shows how often they are used and at what cost.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of settlement agreements entered into with departing staff. 2. The total value of payments made under settlement agreements. 3. The number of those agreements that included a confidentiality clause. 4. The job title and grade of each departing employee who received a settlement agreement. I am not asking for the names of individuals, only job titles and grades. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Severance and redundancy payments

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When senior staff leave a public body, they sometimes receive substantial severance payments. This data shows how much public money is being spent on exit packages and whether appropriate governance is in place.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of staff who received a severance or redundancy payment. 2. The total value of all severance and redundancy payments made. 3. A breakdown of payments by value band (e.g. under £20,000, £20,000–£50,000, £50,000–£100,000, over £100,000). 4. The job title and payment value for any individual severance package exceeding £100,000. I am not asking for the names of individuals, only job titles. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Social work caseloads

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Social workers in Scotland handle child protection, adult support, and other critical services. High caseloads and staff shortages directly affect the quality of support vulnerable people receive.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. 31 March 2025], broken down by team (children and families, adults, criminal justice): 1. The number of qualified social workers employed, as full-time equivalent. 2. The number of social worker vacancies. 3. The total number of open cases. 4. The average caseload per social worker. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s social work department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Staff numbers and vacancies

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Staffing levels directly affect the services a public body can deliver. Knowing where vacancies are concentrated shows where services may be under pressure.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information as at [DATE]: 1. The number of staff in post (full-time equivalent) by department or directorate. 2. The number of funded but vacant posts by department or directorate. 3. For each department, how many vacancies have been open for longer than six months. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Staff sickness absence rates

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sickness absence affects service delivery and staff wellbeing. High absence rates in a particular department may indicate problems with workload, management, or working conditions.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR]: 1. The total number of working days lost to sickness absence. 2. The average number of days lost per employee. 3. A breakdown of absence days by department or directorate. 4. The proportion of absence that was long-term (more than four weeks). I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Stop and search data

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Police Scotland records every stop and search carried out by officers. The numbers show how often the power is used, where, and whether it is leading to results.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of stop and searches carried out. 2. A breakdown of stop and searches by the reason or legislation used. 3. The number of stop and searches that resulted in an item being found (the positive rate). 4. A breakdown of stop and search activity by local policing division. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

Teacher numbers and vacancies

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Teacher shortages affect the quality of education children receive. If you want to know how many posts are unfilled and how often supply teachers fill the gaps, this is the request to use.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information as at [DATE e.g. September 2025]: 1. The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers employed by the authority. 2. The number of teacher vacancies currently advertised or unfilled. 3. The number of days of supply teacher cover used in [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25], broken down by school. 4. The total spend on supply teachers in the same period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Training spend

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Investment in staff training affects service quality and workforce development. Knowing how training budgets are allocated shows what an authority prioritises for its workforce.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], I am writing to request the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR]: 1. The total amount spent on staff training and development. 2. A breakdown of this spending by category (e.g. mandatory or compliance training, professional development, leadership programmes, external courses). 3. The total number of training days provided. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Tree felling permissions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Felling trees in Scotland usually requires a licence from Scottish Forestry. Councils also manage trees under tree preservation orders and planning conditions. Knowing what felling has been permitted, and what replacement planting is required, helps communities track changes to their local environment.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [AREA OR SITE] in [YEAR e.g. 2024]. 1. Any tree felling permissions or felling licences granted. 2. The number and species of trees approved for felling in each permission. 3. Any replacement planting conditions attached to each permission and whether those conditions have been met. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council for trees covered by tree preservation orders or planning conditions, or Scottish Forestry for felling licences. Use the Scottish Information Commissioner’s directory to find the right contact. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Use of force by police

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Police Scotland records every incident where officers use force. This data shows how often force is used, what types of force are most common, and whether use of force is proportionate.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 1. The total number of use of force incidents recorded. 2. A breakdown of incidents by type of force used (e.g. handcuffing, PAVA spray, baton, Taser, firearms). 3. The number of incidents that resulted in injury to the subject. 4. A breakdown of use of force incidents by local policing division. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

Use of separation and segregation in prison

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Prisoners can be placed in separation or segregation for their own safety or the safety of others. Extended periods in segregation raise serious human rights concerns.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of prisoners placed in separation or segregation during the period. 2. The average and maximum duration of separation. 3. A breakdown by the reason for separation (e.g. good order and discipline, own protection, pending investigation). 4. The number of prisoners who spent more than 72 hours in segregation. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Waste and recycling rates

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Councils collect and manage household waste and recycling. Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan set a target to recycle 70% of all waste by 2025, with an earlier 60% household recycling target. Understanding how much waste your council collects and how much is actually recycled shows whether progress is being made.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 1. The total tonnage of household waste collected. 2. The tonnage recycled, composted, and sent to landfill or incineration. 3. A breakdown of recycled material by type (e.g. paper, glass, plastic, food waste, garden waste). 4. The overall household recycling rate achieved. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Your local council’s waste management department. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Water quality and sewage discharge

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Combined sewer overflows discharge untreated sewage into rivers and coastal waters during heavy rainfall. The frequency and duration of these discharges affects water quality and public health, particularly near bathing waters and shellfish areas.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [WATERWAY OR AREA NAME] in [YEAR e.g. 2024]. 1. The number of combined sewer overflow discharges. 2. The total duration of discharges in hours. 3. The locations of each discharge point. 4. Any water quality monitoring results for the affected stretch. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Scottish Water for discharge data, or SEPA for water quality monitoring and licence conditions. Use the Scottish Information Commissioner’s directory to find the right contact. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

Whistleblowing disclosures

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Whistleblowing allows staff to raise concerns about wrongdoing, risk, or malpractice. The numbers can reveal whether the process is working and whether concerns are being acted on.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of whistleblowing disclosures received. 2. A breakdown by category of concern (e.g. fraud, health and safety, malpractice, patient safety, environmental harm). 3. The number of disclosures that led to an investigation. 4. The number of investigations that resulted in action being taken. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

Wildlife management and licences

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Public bodies manage wildlife populations through culling, licensing, and habitat management. Asking for this information reveals how wildlife is being managed in your area and the scale of any lethal control.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The number of deer culled on land managed by the authority, broken down by species. 2. The number of general licences and specific licences issued for the control of wild birds or other protected species. 3. Any wildlife management plans currently in operation and the species they cover. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]

Who to send it to#

This depends on what you are looking for. NatureScot manages wildlife licensing in Scotland. Scottish Forestry and Forestry and Land Scotland manage deer on public forest land. Your local council may also carry out wildlife management. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.