Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government documentation regarding the Barnett Formula: FOI release

Information requested

All documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings and analysis, about the Barnett Formula, seen by or written by or written for Shona Robison and or/her office, over the last month.

Response

We enclose a copy of some of the information you have requested.  Our interpretation of your request is that you wish to see correspondence that is specifically about the Barnett formula and not those which may make passing reference to the Barnett formula. We have identified five documents within scope of the request. Please find the list of documents identified below:

1. 20251116 Murray to Robison - SR25 Settlement Letter
2. Cab Sec FLG request - allocation of £5b figure used by Labour
3. IGR - Letter Cab Sec to CST post FISC - 03 November 2025
4. IGR - Letter to FPAC on FISC  JEC - 06 November 2025
5. UKG response summary - 27 October 2025

While our aim is to provide the requested information wherever possible, in this instance, we are unable to provide all the information you have requested because exemptions under section 28(1) (relations within the United Kingdom) and section 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA apply. Further details about these exemptions have been noted below.

Exemption under Section 28(1) of FOISA

An exemption under section 28(1) of FOISA (relations within the UK) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially relations between the Scottish Government and the UK Government. It is essential for the effective administration of the UK as a whole that there should be regular, and often private, communications between the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the other devolved administrations. Disclosure of this information will mean that the UK Government is likely to be more reluctant to communicate as frequently and openly with the Scottish Government in 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 a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in maintaining close working relationships between the Scottish Government and the UK Government, and in protecting the free exchange of information between the administrations to ensure that we keep each other fully and regularly informed about matters of mutual interest. There is no public interest in disclosing information when that will damage relationships and disrupt future communications as that may impact on the effectiveness of future policy development.

Exemption under Section 38(1)(b) of FOISA

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to some the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, i.e. names and email addresses of individuals, and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

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 202500494286 - Information released - Documents

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