Scottish Government Rural Payments and Services website "Essential Maintenance" queries: FOI release

Information requested

The following information in relation to this "Essential Maintenance" is requested under the Freedom of Information Act :

1. A high level summary of the essential maintenance being carried out.

2. Reasons why two weeks (which includes six standard business days) are necessary to perform this essential maintenance.

3. Reasons why the specific two week period from Monday 22-Dec-25 to Monday 5-Jan-26 was selected for the essential maintenance.

4. For each day of the downtime the number of staff (permanent or contract) working or planned to work, e.g. Mon 22nd - 10, Tue 23rd - 8, etc.. Note, only staff performing duties in relation to the essential maintenance should be included in these figures.

5. Impact assessments or consultations undertaken in relation to the effect the two week downtime would have on users of the affected IT systems, e.g. farmers and their agents.

6. Notice of the downtime starting Monday 22-Dec-25 was published on Monday 15-Dec-25. Webpage metadata shows the page (link provided above) was last updated or created at 17:08:56 and the ScotGovRural account on the X platform posted notice of the downtime at 18:02.

Please provide information on the timing of the notice given and why this period of notice was deemed as acceptable or necessary.

Response

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

The answer to your question is attached to this email.

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 202500498674 - Information released - Annex

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