Emails between Scottish Government and GB News: FOI release

Information requested

All email correspondence between the Scottish Government and GB News from 16 September 2025.

Response

For the purposes of this request, we searched for emails sent directly between Scottish Government email addresses and GB News email addresses. Internal correspondence discussing GB News or correspondence with third parties mentioning GB News was not considered to fall within the scope of this request.

To respond to your request, we conducted a thorough search of the following business areas which were identified as most likely to hold relevant correspondence:

• Communications News
• Ministerial Private Offices
• Special Advisers' Office
• Broadcast policy

These areas were selected because of their responsibilities for media relations, ministerial communications and broadcasting matters.

We also searched the Scottish Government's Electronic Record and Document Management Systems and the MiCase system using relevant search terms including "GB News", “gbnews.com” and “gbnews.uk”

I enclose a copy of the information you requested in the Annex. This comprises two emails dated 4 November and 5 November 2025.

Some information has been redacted as it falls outside the scope of your request.

Section 38 (1)(b) – Personal data

Names, email addresses and other personal data of junior officials and third parties have been redacted. This information is exempt from disclosure under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information), as release would contravene the data protection principles set out in Article 5(1)(a) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. Disclosing this information would be unlawful as these individuals have a reasonable expectation that their personal data would not be made public in this context and there is no overriding public interest in disclosure.

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 202500498807 - Information Released - Annex

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