Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service updates regarding Operation Branchform: FOI release

Information requested

I see from a FOl response that the Lord Advocate sent an update to the Scottish Government for the First Minister's attention regarding Peter Murrell's appearance in court. It was officially an update on Operation Branchform.

Now I want the following information please.

1. Confirm how many notes or updates the Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service has sent to the Scottish Government regarding Operation Branchform.

Please distinguish between notes or updates sent generally from Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service and notes or updates sent from the Lord Advocate.

Also, distinguish between notes or updates that were sent specifically for the First Minister's attention.

2. A copy of each update or note. ( get you might need to redact information but the fact you provided the last one without any should mean you can still give me most of the info.

3. A copy of the note that informed the First Minister about Murrell's court appearance being delayed until after the election in May.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you have requested. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not hold some of the information you have requested. You may wish to consider making a request to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in respect of information held by it in the form of correspondence between the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Lord Advocate about Operation Branchform. FOI requests can be made to: FOI@copfs.gov.uk

The Scottish Government holds two notes which were sent from the Lord Advocate to the First Minister in respect of Operation Branchform. Those notes are:

1) Note from the Lord Advocate to the First Minister dated 19 January 2026.
2) Note from the Lord Advocate to the First Minister dated 20 March 2025.

I enclose copies of the Notes dated 19 January 2026 and 20 March 2025 with this response.

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 202600508089 - Information released - Documents

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