Director General Net Zero recruitment exercise information: FOI release

Information requested

1) the number of candidates who applied for the role of DG Net Zero.

2) the number of internal vs external candidates at application and then at interview stage.

3) any and all information relating to this campaign which can reasonably be released including general observations of the recruitment round, correspondence with the civil service commissioner and

4) how many candidates were placed on the reserve list.

Response

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

1)Total number of applications - 87.

2) Number of internal applications - 2, number of external applications - 85, number of internal candidates invited to interview - 1, number of external candidates invited to interview - 3.

3) Document 1 - A redacted copy of an email to Senior Leadership Committee dated 13 June 2025.

Document 2 - A redacted copy of an email to the Civil Service Commission dated 25 July 2025 plus an attachment (2a).

Document 3 - A redacted copy of an email from the Civil Service Commission dated 28 July 2025.

Document 4 - A redacted copy of an email from the Civil Service Commissioner dated 7 August 2025.

Document 5 - A redacted copy of an email to Cabinet Secretaries dated 18 August 2025.

Document 6 - A redacted copy of an email to Cabinet Secretaries dated 3 October 2025 plus an attachment (6a).

Document 7 - A redacted copy of an email to Cabinet Secretary dated 14 October 2025 plus an attachment (7a).

Document 8 - Sit Pack - redacted.

Document 9 - Interview Pack - redacted.

Document 10 - Board Report - redacted.

Document 11 - A redacted copy of an email to Permanent Secretary dated 4 November 2025.

4) Number of candidates placed on the reserve list - 1.

Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible,, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested in section 3) because of an exemption under section s.38(1)(b) of FOISA where personal information such as phone numbers, staff and candidates names and email addresses were included in email chains and have been redacted. This exemption applies because it is personal data of a third party, the names/contact details 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.

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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 202600509889 - Information Released - Documents 1 - 11

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