Scottish Government D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System) Number: FOI release

Information requested

Please provide Correspondence regarding commercial registration of The Scottish Government under D-U-N-S® number 232226415:

1. Commercial Registration Logic

•  Provide all documentation, internal correspondence, or legal advice confirming the purpose and function of registering The Scottish Government as a commercial entity with Dun & Bradstreet.
• Clarify whether this registration was voluntary, mandated, or contractually required by any third party.

2. Delegated Authority to Operate Commercially

•  Provide the statutory instrument, delegation order, or ministerial authority that permits The Scottish Government to operate as a commercial entity while enforcing statutory obligations.
•  Confirm whether this dual status is disclosed to the public or acknowledged in enforcement communications.

3. Contractual Obligations & Third-Party Oversight

• Provide all contracts, memoranda of understanding, or binding agreements entered into as a result of this registration.
•  Identify any third-party governance, audit, or compliance frameworks tied to the D-U-N-S® registration, including ESG scoring, credit risk profiling, or international oversight.

4. Data Interfaces & Commercial Integration

•  Provide documentation relating to any commercial platforms, supplier portals, or financial systems that interface with The Scottish Government via the D-U-N-S® identifier.
•  Include any agreements with Oracle, SAP, Experian, or similar entities.

5. Remedy & Jurisdictional Challenge

•  Confirm whether individuals interacting with The Scottish Government have the right to challenge its commercial status, reject presumed jurisdiction, or opt out of commercial engagement.
•  Provide any internal guidance or legal advice relating to such objections.

If any part of this request is refused, specify the exemption relied upon and provide the internal review procedure.

Response

This response has been formed approaching each question of your request individually.  The information has been collated across the Scottish Government providing one central response.

Question 1 - Commercial Registration Logic

The Scottish Government does not operate as a commercial entity. It does, however, interface with other commercial entities such as the Scottish National Investment Bank and Scottish Rail Holdings, who manage assets and invest commercially, returning profit to the Scottish Government to invest further in public services.

The reason the Scottish Government has a DUNS number is historical. Officials within the Scottish Government were requested to provide a DUNS number to support the application to Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in 2012/13 for the ‘.scot’ domain. I have included the Scottish Governments D.U.N.S certificate (Appendix 1) from 2013 as the only documentation on record.

Question 2 - Delegated Authority to Operate Commercially

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested, as the Scottish Government are not acting as a commercial entity.

Question 3 - Contractual Obligations & Third-Party Oversight

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested, as the Scottish Government are not acting as a commercial entity.

Question 4 - Data Interfaces & Commercial Integration

The Scottish Government have no interface to Dun and Bradstreet within their Corporate Technology, this includes commercial platforms, supplier portals and financial systems. The Scottish Government use the online Dun & Bradstreet portal, only as a standalone reference site to check supplier details as part of supplier registration on our accounts payable system.

Question 5 - Remedy & Jurisdictional Challenge

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested, as the Scottish Government are not acting as a commercial entity.

You may find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner’s ‘Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs’ on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.

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.

FOI 202500482508 - Information Released - Certificate

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