Internal communication channels of specific SG directorates: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for:

“Details of all internal communication channels used within the following government directorates / bodies. Please provide the name of the platform and the time for which it has been in use:

• • Constitution and Cabinet Directorate
  • Communications, Ministerial Support and Facilities Directorate
  • Marine Scotland directorate
  • Learning Directorate
  • Education Scotland

This includes, but is not limited to, services such as text messaging, email, Slack channels and Whatsapp chats.”

Response

The Scottish Government provides staff with access to the following internal communications channels:

• Saltire intranet (current version since 2016)
• Yammer (since 2009)
• Email (available for over 20 years)
• Analogue and digital telephone connections - fixed handsets on desks (availability linked to development of telephone technology)
• Mobile phones, including text messages* (available for over 20 years)
• Internal mail system (available for over 20 years)
• Skype for Business (since March 2016)
• Video conferencing and teleconferencing (available in different formats for over 20 years)
• Mail Chimp (since December 2014)
• Slack (since 2016)
• Glow O365 teams (2 years (approximately) and used by Education Scotland only)
• Glow Gsuite Classroom teams (2 years (approximately) and used by Education Scotland only)
• Satellite telephone (available for over 20 years and used by Marine Scotland only)
• Radio communication packages for ships and aircraft (availability linked to development of communications technology and used by Marine Scotland only)

*The Scottish Government does not hold a log of text messages sent or received.

**There are a number of communications tools, including WhatsApp, that staff can download to mobile devices from services such as Google Play and other venders, but which are not provided by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government is clear that information held on all communications channels, including those not provided by the Scottish Government, is subject to FOI.

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.