Scottish Government's process of logging correspondence: FOI release

Information requested

Explain the logging process for citizen, public body and private enterprise concerns across government departments, inclusive of different party leadership. (For example, whether data analytics are applied to identify themes in citizen concerns, and how this is communicated to ministers and parliamentary scrutiny panels). Provide a policy, please

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you requested because we do not hold a formal policy document on our logging process. However, the answer to your question is as follows.

When a citizen, public body, private enterprise, member of parliament or any other individual/organisation sends us correspondence, we log that correspondence on our system. It is then assigned to the appropriate area of the Scottish Government to respond to.

No data analytics are applied to identify themes in citizen concerns, however individual areas will have an understanding of the common themes presenting in correspondence they receive. This knowledge can then be used to inform policymaking, which is governed by ministers.

You may find the following webpage links about contacting us helpful:

• Contact - gov.scot
• Privacy - gov.scot

About FOI

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