No change to FOI during the pre-election period

24 March 2026

The 2025 Scottish Parliamentary election will be held on Thursday 7 May, with the formal pre-election period – sometimes called ‘purdah’ – beginning on Thursday 26 March. 

While there are some restrictions on the activities of some public bodies during this pre-election period, it is important to note that freedom of information (FOI) rights and responsibilities are not affected in any way. This means that people can continue to make FOI requests as normal, and public bodies must continue to respond to those requests promptly, and within the 20-working day timescale allowed by FOI law. Responses to FOI requests should not, therefore, be delayed by any public body as a result of the upcoming election. 

It should also be noted that the Commissioner and his staff are not subject to any pre-election restrictions. This means that our work will continue as normal over this period, with no investigations or interventions being delayed (or ‘fast-tracked’) as a result of the election. The Commissioner will also continue to provide relevant comment and clarification on aspects of his work, as appropriate.

If you have any questions, our Contact Us page has details of how you can get in touch with us.

Background

During the pre-election period, there are restrictions on the use of public resources and on the activities of civil servants and ministers. For example, civil servants cannot undertake any activity which could call into question their political impartiality or take any action which is, or could be construed as being, party political or otherwise controversial in the context of elections.

The Scottish Government has issued guidance for relevant public bodies on the restrictions on their activities that are in place during the pre-election period. The Scottish Parliament’s briefing on related issues is available here. Other public bodies may publish their own specific information.