Information regarding the funding for the provision of free period products: FOI release

Information requested

1. Please confirm whether funding provided by the Scottish Government to support the provision of free period products by local authorities and educational institutions is currently ring-fenced.

2. If the funding is no longer ring-fenced, please provide:
a) the date on which this change took effect;
b) the reason for the change; and
c) copies of any guidance, briefing papers, policy documents, correspondence or communications issued in relation to the change.

3. Please provide copies of any guidance, briefing papers, policy documents, ministerial correspondence or internal reports produced since 1 January 2024 relating to:
a) ring-fencing of period product funding;
b) changes to period product funding arrangements;
c) monitoring or oversight of period product provision;
d) concerns regarding the continuation, accessibility, uptake or effectiveness of period product provision.

4. Please provide the total amount of Scottish Government funding allocated for free period product provision in each of the following financial years:
2023/24
2024/25
2025/26

5. Please confirm whether the Scottish Government currently monitors, audits or evaluates how period product funding is allocated or spent by local authorities, colleges, universities and other public bodies.

6. Please confirm whether the Scottish Government currently collects data relating to the provision of free period products under the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021.

If such data is collected, please provide details of:
a) the types of data collected;
b) the frequency of collection;
c) the most recent available data relating to:
- quantities of products distributed;
- categories of products distributed;
- expenditure on products distributed

7. Please provide details of any reviews, evaluations, impact assessments or reports undertaken since 1 January 2024 regarding the effectiveness, accessibility, value for money or sustainability of period product provision in Scotland.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the format you asked for.

Exemptions under sections s.38(1)(b) - personal information and s.25(1) - information otherwise accessible of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested.

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. All of the information you have requested in relation to questions 1, 2a and 4 is available from a previous Scottish Government FOI response (202500477160) that can be accessed here.

The answers to questions 2b, 2c and 3 can be found in the attached Annex.

The answers to your remaining questions are noted below:

5. Please confirm whether the Scottish Government currently monitors, audits or evaluates how period product funding is allocated or spent by local authorities, colleges, universities and other public bodies.

The Scottish Government does not currently monitor, audit or evaluate how period product funding is allocated or spent by local authorities, colleges, universities or other public bodies.

6. Please confirm whether the Scottish Government currently collects data relating to the provision of free period products under the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021.

The Scottish Government does not currently collect data on the provision of free period products under the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021.

7. Please provide details of any reviews, evaluations, impact assessments or reports undertaken since 1 January 2024 regarding the effectiveness, accessibility, value for money or sustainability of period product provision in Scotland.

There have been no reviews, evaluations, impact assessments or reports undertaken since 1 January 2024 on the effectiveness, accessibility, value for money or sustainability of free period product provision in Scotland.

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 202600520365 - Information released - Annex A

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