Correspondence regarding Oracle Cloud: FOI release

Information requested

1. Minutes from Executive Team meetings which reference Oracle Cloud in the past three months

2. All emails + WhatsApp messages + Microsoft teams messages between Permanent Secretary and Director General Corporate which reference Oracle Cloud in the past three months

3. All emails + WhatsApp messages + Microsoft teams messages between Director General Corporate and Director of Corporate operations which reference oracle cloud in the past three months

Response

1. There is one paragraph relevant to your request which I include here:

"Executive Team - 26 August - Action Note"

"Oracle Implementation – Brian Reid, Director of Corporate Transformation

Director of Corporate Transformation provided ET with an update on Oracle implementation, including reference to Audit Scotland’s positive assessment of internal processes.

In discussion, ET:

• Reviewed progress and challenges with the Oracle platform.
• Highlighted the need for balanced internal communications that reflect both user frustrations and systemic successes.

ACTION: ETSGO to schedule Oracle Implementation to return to ET in 3 months, and quarterly thereafter.
ACTION: Director of Communications & Ministerial Support to develop internal messaging highlighting Oracle successes and user experience feedback by the end of September."

2. No information is held relevant to your request.

The Scottish Government's policy on mobile messaging apps, including WhatsApp was updated in June 2025. As such there are no WhatsApp messages held relevant to your requests under points 2 and 3. Further information on the policy can be found here - Mobile messaging apps removed from government devices - gov.scot

Conversation history in Microsoft Teams is automatically deleted after 5 days, in line with our deletion policy.

3. I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested at Annex A. In some areas this information has been redacted under section 30(b)(ii), free and frank exchange of views of FOISA and names and contact details of individuals have also been redacted under section 38(1)(b) exemption (personal data the disclosure of which would contravene data protection principles).

The Audit Scotland report discussed in emails 1 and 7 of Annex A has now been published here - Annual  Audit Report 2024/25 - with the relevant section on Oracle Cloud Implementation starting on page 38.

The article discussed in email 9 of Annex A relates to information already provided to you in our response to FoI 202500489952.

A number of emails are also redacted in full under section 30(b)(ii), free and frank exchange of views of FOISA and under section 33(1)(b), commercial interests of FOISA.

Exemptions are subject to the public interest test. In this instance section 30(b)(ii), free and frank exchange of views, is relevant as disclosing this information via Freedom of Information would be likely to inhibit the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of discussion, and the public interest in maintaining a safe space for open dialogue outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Exemptions under section 33(1)(b), commercial interests are relevant as releasing details of commercial agreements would be likely to prejudice substantially the commercial interests of the Scottish Government and organisations with which the Scottish Government holds commercial agreements, as such withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.

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 - 202500490002 - Information released - Annex A

File type

PDF

File size

221.4 kB