UK Government's plans to introduce a digital ID: FOI release

Information requested

The Scottish Government to provide the following information in regards to the UK Government's plans to introduce a digital ID:

• Any correspondence between the Scottish and UK Government following Keir Starmer's announcement on September 26 2025.
• An internal correspondence referencing digital ID or BritCard.
• And, was the Scottish Government informed of the plans for digital ID ahead of Keir Starmer's announcement?

Response

I have interpreted your request to provide correspondence from UK Government following the announced plans to introduce a digital ID received from 26.09.2025-03.10.2025.

On your request for any internal correspondence referencing digital ID or BritCard, I have interpreted the time frame for internal correspondence from 04.06.2025-03.10.205 when the BritCard name was used in the BritCard: a progressive digital identity for Britain — Labour Together report published 4 June 2025.

On your third question, yes Scottish Government was informed of the plans for digital ID ahead of Kier Starmer’s announcement on Thursday 25 September at 16:45 via a call between Deputy First Minister and Darren Jones MP, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

An exemption under sections 28(1), Relations with the UK, 30(b)(i), covering free and frank official advice, 30(b)(ii), covering free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation, and 38(1)(b), covering third party personal data, of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested.

These exemptions are subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemptions. With regards to exemption under sections 28(1) we recognise that there is some public interest in release because it would ensure transparency of the relations between administrations in the UK following the announcement. With regards to exemption under sections 30(b)(i) and (ii) we recognise that there is some public interest in release because it would ensure transparency by showing advice offered to the Scottish Ministers to support their decision-making and the views offered on that advice. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring Scottish Government do not substantially prejudice relations between administrations in the UK or inhibit the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation while the development of the announced digital ID plans is ongoing.

With regards to the exemption under section 38(1)(b), we recognise that there is some public interest in release to clarify who has been corresponding. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring the Scottish Government fulfils its requirements under the Data Protection Act. This means we have redacted identifiable information such as names and email addresses.

I have ordered the responses in sequence of your individual requests and organised the chains of correspondence as far as possible most recently concluded to older content.

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 202500487497 - Information released - Annex A

File type

PDF

File size

4.3 MB