Request

Your request for information dated 23 June 2026 is copied below.

Please provide full disclosure of all recorded information, internal and external correspondence, meeting minutes, legal briefs, memos, and reports held by your authority regarding the investigation timeline and the decision-making process concerning Nicola Sturgeon within the scope of Operation Branchform.

To ensure full compliance and eliminate ambiguity, this request specifically targets the following recorded information:

1. The Investigation and Charging Timeline:

• All recorded assessments, internal communications, or inter-agency correspondence discussing the timing of police interviews, arrests, and the eventual conclusion of the investigation relative to political events—specifically including Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation as First Minister and relevant election cycles.
• Any recorded rationale explaining the timeline gap between the initiation of the investigation (July 2021) and the formal submission of files to the Crown Office.

2. The "Advice and Guidance" Submission (August 2024):

• A copy of the formal request for "advice and guidance" submitted by Police Scotland to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) on or around 9 August 2024 concerning Nicola Sturgeon, including any attached evidentiary summaries. 
• All internal correspondence, minutes, and logging notes detailing how this request was reviewed, handled, and answered.

3. Crown Counsel and Independent King’s Counsel (KC) Reviews:

• Copies of the formal instructions, reports, and conclusions provided by the Crown Counsel and the second independent King's Counsel (KC) who evaluated whether charges should be brought against Nicola Sturgeon.
• Any recorded assessments within these documents identifying gaps, flaws, or weaknesses in the evidence, alongside any legal rationale determining that there was insufficient evidence to charge or prosecute under concepts of "willful blindness," "joint enterprise," or "prior knowledge/omission" regarding the embezzlement of funds or purchase of high-value household/asset items.

4. The Comprehensive 542-Page COPFS Report:

• Any disclosable sections, summaries, or redacted iterations of the 542-page report submitted to Crown Counsel by the COPFS team, specifically the sections evaluating the liability, knowledge, or lack of involvement of Nicola Sturgeon.

5. Inter-Agency Communications & Briefings:

• All recorded correspondence and notifications between COPFS, Police Scotland, and the Scottish Government (specifically including details of any advanced notification or "tipping off" provided to the Scottish Government or the First Minister’s office) regarding the decision that Nicola Sturgeon would face no further action.