Scottish Parliament Election: 7 May 2026, guidance for the Scottish Government, its agencies and National Devolved Public Bodies

Chapter 8: Communications Activity

8.1 The general principle governing communications work during the election period is to do everything possible to avoid competition with Parliamentary candidates for the attention of the public. In addition, special care must be taken as information produced with complete impartiality and accepted as objective at other times may attract criticism during the election period.

8.2 References in this note to Communications Officers apply equally to all officials involved in similar work and any communication activity. It is incumbent on all to adhere to the principles as well as the provisions of the Civil Service Code. The principles extend to the use of the Internet and Intranet (see paragraph 8.8 below).

Regular Scottish Government Communication activity

8.3 During an election campaign the Government retains its responsibility to govern and Ministers remain in charge of their portfolios. Only essential business must be carried on and supported by Communications as appropriate and in a proportionate way.

8.4 Scottish Government Communications staff may continue to discharge their normal function only to the extent of providing factual explanation of current Government policy, statements and decisions. They must be careful not to become involved in a partisan way in election issues. Arrangements for articles, interviews, etc. by Ministers during the election period will normally be made by the political network - except where they relate to essential official business.

8.5 The Government's normal daily news service will therefore effectively be suspended, including provision of the regular briefings for Parliamentary journalists during the election period. Essential business which supports the dissemination of important public health advice will be permitted, but it should at all times adhere to the principles set out in this guidance.

8.6 During the election period, access to briefing will be restricted to permanent civil servants who will respond to information requests in line with the principles set out in Chapter 2. Any updating of briefing lines should be confined to matters of fact and explanations of existing Government policy. Briefing may be an appropriate resource for Private Offices to use when providing factual information to Ministers in line with the guidance in Chapter 1. Ministerial activity should be reviewed by Private Offices and Communications staff when the election period begins and confined to permitted Government announcements and official engagements during the campaign period and not beyond.

8.7 Guidance for Scottish Government Communications staff is as follows:

News Media Relations

a) In response to questions, communications officers should, where possible, provide factual information by reference to published material, including that on websites. Specific requests for unpublished material should be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

b) There is no objection to issuing routine factual news releases covering subjects, such as employment statistics, which are issued on a monthly or regular basis. Ministerial comment should, however, normally be issued through the Minister's political party. Equally, reports from public bodies and independent committees that the Government is required to publish can be summarised and drawn to the attention of the media.

c) Communications officers should not handle statements that refer to the Government's future intentions, unless referring to previous, publicly recorded statements. Instead, these can be made by the Minister concerned in a political speech to be handled by the political party.

d) Where a Minister is involved in activity associated with essential Government business, such as attendance at an event, the relevant Communications team should provide support, limited to the provision of factual information.

e) The Communications team should not handle statements or comments referring to the policies, commitments or perceived intentions of the opposition parties.

f) During the election period, arrangements for newspaper articles, interviews and broadcasts by Ministers, including digital and social media content, will normally be made through the political network. Care should be taken by communications staff in arranging and accompanying/supporting any press interviews for Ministers and Government Clinicians that might be required as part of essential business during this period because of the possibility that such interviews would have a strong political content, and the distinction between political and Ministerial publicity will be under very close scrutiny during this period. They should not arrange publicity through official channels unless Communications staff are satisfied there is a need to do so for reasons of essential business and that the Minister is speaking in a Government, not party, capacity.

g) If a Minister proposes to make an important Ministerial statement during the election period, this should be discussed with the Director of Communications and Ministerial Support, the Deputy Director of News and Digital, and the Cabinet Secretariat. Equally, if a Minister intends to hold a news conference to make clear the Government's policies on a particular subject of immediate importance, guidance should be sought from the Deputy Director of News and Digital and from the Cabinet Secretariat, and the Government should provide facilities where appropriate.

Marketing

a) New marketing campaigns will not be launched in this period. Running of above-the-line marketing activity will cease, e.g. advertising. This covers both domestic and international activity. However, some essential marketing and advertising (for example public health issues, civil emergencies, specialist recruitment) may be permitted in consultation with the Scottish Government's Director of Communications and Ministerial Support and the Deputy Director of Marketing, Insight, Brand Scotland and Internal Communications. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

b) Where such advertising is commissioned by a UK Government department, the UK department concerned must first consult the Head of the Government Communications Service and the Scottish Government's Deputy Director for Marketing, Insight, Brand Scotland and Internal Communications. Marketing information websites associated with public information or social marketing subjects will continue to be live and updated with appropriate changes to continue to be factually correct. No new content will be created or promoted.

c) Websites that support marketing campaigns by providing the public with information, may continue to stay live. New content can only be added if it is clearly not politically linked and also meets the same exemptions as outlined above (i.e. is related to public health issues, civil emergencies or specialist recruitment).

d) Marketing campaign related social media activity may continue to engage with the public where the content is not new or politically linked, and where no above-the-line advertising spend is being used. This includes responding to queries received (for example to communicate public information messages to audiences).

e) PR Media relations in support of campaigns will cease during the election period.

f) Printed material should not normally be given any fresh distribution in Scotland during the election period, in order to avoid any competition with the flow of election material. The effect on distribution of posters and leaflets to the public is as follows:

i. Posters. The normal display of existing posters on official premises may continue, but efforts should not be made to seek display elsewhere. Specific requests by, stakeholders and partners, for particular posters will be met in the ordinary way.

ii. Leaflets. Small numbers of copies of leaflets may be issued on request to members of the public and Parliamentary candidates. Bulk supplies should not be issued to any individuals or organisations without approval from the Deputy Director for Marketing, Insight, Brand Scotland & Internal Communications.

g) Official 'filler' films and radio tapes transmitted in intervals or public service periods of TV and radio programmes may be limited, in consultation with the BBC and Ofcom.

h) Films, videos and photographs from Scottish Government libraries or sources remain available to be shared online but no new images should be uploaded. The ability to share images does not imply Scottish Government endorsement of the views or comments of an individual, party, or group.

i) Exhibitions which form part of a privately sponsored exhibition should not be withdrawn, but self‐contained official exhibitions or privately sponsored ones advocating a politically contentious policy should not be kept open or opened during the election period.

j) Window Displays. Normal display of factual information on official premises may continue, but promotional displays should be withdrawn or withheld.

k) Research and evaluation. Fieldwork involving interviews with the public or sections of it will be postponed or abandoned, although regular, continuous and ongoing statistical surveys may continue.

The Scottish Government Website

a) The general principles on information activities during Parliamentary elections will apply to the Government's main corporate website: www.gov.scot and any other websites operated by Government, including marketing campaign websites.

b) Other official websites operated by Government agencies and national devolved public bodies should also comply with these principles. A list of the relevant public bodies can be found on the Scottish Government website.

c) The Government's normal online news service on www.gov.scot will effectively be suspended. No Ministerial videos or new social media content will be recorded or broadcast. The only items to be posted in the news section will be non‐controversial, factual or routine, as defined above, including statistics notices, pre‐planned publications, and any essential information concerning public health.

d) All material published on www.gov.scot prior to the election period, including video, Ministerial biographies, and policy information, will be regarded as part of the historical record and will remain accessible to the public. No significant additions or improvements will be made to that information.

e) All material published prior to the election period on the different websites will also continue to be publicly available. No significant additions or improvements will be made.

Social Media

a) During the election period, Government pages on most social media sites that aim to engage or inform should not be added to, expanded or improved, and nor should responses be made to comments posted. The reasons for this should be made clear on the relevant sites/pages.

b) Where Government‐backed social media sites promoting Scotland are aimed principally at international audiences (for example, www.scotland.org) engagement and provision of information can continue but should avoid political reference and controversy.

c) Civil servants' participation in a professional capacity in social networks (for example, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) as well as in forums, online communities and other public online discussions should be limited during the election period to:

• Commenting on operational matters relating to services such as notifying users of technical problems with a website or digital service; and
• Responding to factual queries by signposting existing content. Any exceptions to this guidance should be referred to the Deputy Director of News and Digital, who will consider individual cases as appropriate.

Blogs and Video

a) There should be no new public facing or Ministerial blogs during the election period. Civil servants may continue to respond to comments on existing blog posts, provide routine and factual responses to queries, and moderate for inappropriate comments.

b) Ministerial blogs, videos and social network profiles should not be updated for the duration of the election period.

Journalists from Overseas

8.8 Any journalist from overseas who is seeking assistance on political matters should be directed to the press/communications officers of the relevant party/parties.

Further Information

8.9 For further information, please contact the Deputy Director for News and Digital or the Deputy Director for Marketing, Insight, Brand Scotland and Internal Communications and your query will be directed to the relevant colleague who will be able to advise.

8.10 Scottish Government Agencies and national devolved public bodies should consult their own Head of Communications for advice in relation to the application of the Communications guidance in their own organisation in the first instance.