Asylum seekers correspondence: FOI release

Information requested

1. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the First Minister and the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Housing regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 August 2025 and 20 October 2025 inclusive.
2. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between Scottish Government Officials with a rank of deputy director or higher regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 August 2025 and 20 October 2025 inclusive.
3.  Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the First Minister and any Scottish Government official with a rank of deputy director or higher regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 August 2025 and 20 October 2025 inclusive.
4. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and any Scottish Government official with a rank of deputy director or higher regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 August 2025 and 20 October 2025 inclusive.
5. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and the Office of the Leader of Glasgow City Council regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 August 2025 and 20 October 2025 inclusive.
6. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the First Minister and the Office of the Leader of Glasgow City Council regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 August 2025 and 20 October 2025 inclusive.
7. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between any of the individuals mentioned in Questions 1-6 and any senior employee of Glasgow City Council (See Page 137 link) regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 August 2025 and 20 October 2025 inclusive.

Response

Question 1:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested in relation to this question.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information you requested because we do not hold any correspondence between the office of the First Minister and the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Cabinet Secretary for Housing regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland within the timeframe requested.

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

Question 2:

For question 2 of your query, I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. The attached document contains a note from the former Director General of Communities to the current Permanent Secretary regarding the potential impact to Glasgow from changes within the UK asylum system.

An exemption under Section 38(1)(b) applies to some of the information in this document as the correspondence contained personal information for officials below the level of the Senior Civil Service. This exemption is 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 exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release for accountability purposes. However, this is outweighed by the right of non-senior officials to not have their personal information shared.

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. Some of the information you requested for this question was preparation for a Scottish Conservative Party Parliamentary debate on 08 October 2025 that has been published online. You can view the motion submitted by Russell Findlay MSP for this debate here: S6M-19252 | Scottish Parliament Website, and you can view a full transcript of the debate here: Meeting of the Parliament: 08/10/2025 | Scottish Parliament Website.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 30(b)(ii) of FOISA applies to that information.

An exemption under section 30(b)(ii) applies to some of the information you requested as some of the information found contains correspondence from officials speaking in confidence regarding an ongoing policy discussion. Releasing such information would result in a significant risk of inhibiting the free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation.

This exemption is 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 exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because this discussion contains some relevant information on the Scottish Government’s formulation of asylum policy. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that officials are able to freely exchange views with one another on sensitive and ongoing policy matters.

Question 3:

For question 3 of your query, I enclose a copy of some of the information you have requested. I enclose a copy of correspondence detailing a summary of asylum protests from 23rd August.

An exemption under Section 38(1)(b) applies to some of the information in this document as the correspondence contained personal information for officials below the level of the Senior Civil Service. This exemption is 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 exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release for accountability purposes. However, this is outweighed by the right of non-senior officials to not have their personal information shared.

Some of the information you have requested for this question is already in the public domain. An article highlighting the First Minister’s support for an asylum pause in Glasgow City Council came up in our searches and is available here: . Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information Glasgow council needs ‘more time’ to resolve homeless refugee issues – Swinney | The Independent which is already reasonably accessible to you.

Question 4:

For question 4 of your query, I enclose a copy of some of the information you have requested. The attached document contains some discussion regarding hotel accommodation and asylum from 25 August 2025.

An exemption under Section 38(1)(b) applies to some of the information in this document as the correspondence contained personal information for officials below the level of the Senior Civil Service. This exemption is 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 exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release for accountability purposes. However, this is outweighed by the right of non-senior officials to not have their personal information shared.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 30(b)(ii) of FOISA applies to that information.

An exemption under section 30(b)(ii) applies to some of the information you requested as some of the information found contains correspondence from officials speaking in confidence regarding an ongoing policy discussion. Releasing such information would result in a significant risk of inhibiting the free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation, and runs the risk of inhibiting the scope of advice officials give to Ministers in the future.

This exemption is 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 exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because this discussion contains some relevant information on the Scottish Government’s formulation of asylum policy. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that officials are able to freely exchange views with one another on sensitive and ongoing policy matters.

Question 5:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested in relation to this question.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information you requested because we do not hold any correspondence between the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and the Office of the Leader of Glasgow City Council regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland in the timeframe you requested.

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

Question 6:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested in relation to this question.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information you requested for this question as we do not hold any correspondence between the office of the First Minister and the Office of the Leader of Glasgow City Council regarding asylum policy and the accommodation of asylum seekers and/or refugees in Scotland within the timeframe you requested.

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

Question 7:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide you with the information you have requested for this question because an exemption under section 30(b)(ii) of FOISA applies to that information.

An exemption under section 30(b)(ii) applies to some of the information you requested as some of the information found contains information shared with the Scottish Government in confidence from Glasgow City Council. Releasing such information would significantly risk straining relations between the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council. As this information relates to, retaining the councils trust on this issue is necessary for effective policy formulation.

This exemption is 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 exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because this document contains information on asylum policy in Glasgow. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that the Scottish Government retains Glasgow City Council’s trust on this issue in order to aid effective policy formulation.

As asylum and immigration are reserved to the UK Parliament and handled by the Home Office, you may wish to contact the Home Office at foirequests@homeoffice.gov.uk if you wish to find out further information.

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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 202500489706 - Information Released - Annex

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