Preparation of detailed prospectus for independence: FOI release

Information requested

In September, the First Minister said that civil servants were being tasked to prepare a detailed prospectus for independence.

I would like to request under FOI some details about this work:

• Who is leading this work? What is their job title and civil service grade?
• How many civil servants are working on this project and what change, if any, is projected in those numbers over the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years?
• What is the total budget allocation for this work, including staff costs, in 2021/22 and 2022/23? * What exactly has this team been tasked to do and on what timescale?

Response

On 7 September 2021, the First Minister announced as part of the 2021-22 Programme for Government (PfG) that the Scottish Government will work to ensure that a legitimate and constitutional referendum can be held within this Parliamentary term and that it will start work on a detailed prospectus for an independent Scotland.

Coordination of this work lies within the remit of David Rogers, Constitution Director, whose grade is Senior Civil Servant – Director, and whose responsibilities also include elections, devolution policy, relationships with the UK Government and a range of other matters.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The reason for this is since the announcement in the PfG, work on scoping what will be required to take this commitment forward is in progress and final decisions on the staffing, budget and timescale of work on the prospectus have not yet been taken.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

The work to take forward the commitment in the PfG will include policy development, research and communications.

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.