Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
FOI Reference: FOI/202400397251
Date received: 5 February 2024
Date responded: 4 March 2024
Information Requested
It was stated in Holyrood committee session that Social Security Scotland has an “MSP hotline”.
Based on this information, please provide the following the information:
Request for information 1: The date (day and time) when the MSP hotline was introduced and became active.
Request for information 2: The number of calls per month that the MSP hotline has received since it was made active.
Request for information 3: The average call wait time for MSP hotline since it was made active. Please break this down by showing the average wait time per month since it was made active.
For each month, if possible, please also reveal the number of abandoned calls.
Request for information 4: The number of calls per month that the regular Social Security Scotland number [the one everyone else uses] has received per month since the MSP Hotline was established to present date.
I’m requesting that time frame so a comparison can between the two numbers can be made.
Request for information 5: The average call wait time for the regular Social Security Scotland number [the one everyone else uses] since the MSP Hotline was established.
I’m requesting that time frame so a comparison can be made between the two numbers can be made.
Request for information 6: A copy of any notice that was given to the Scottish Parliament to highlight the establishment of an MSP hotline and to spread awareness to MSPs.
Response
Requests for information 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5:
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested because our system only holds 13 months of rolling Management Information data.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.
The dedicated Parliamentarian Enquiry Line went live on 1 October 2018.
The information provided in the tables below covers the period 16 February 2023 to 12 February 2024.
Number of calls made to the Parliamentarian Enquiry Line |
|
Month |
Total Calls |
Feb 2023 |
27 |
March 2023 |
62 |
April 2023 |
101 |
May 2023 |
97 |
June 2023 |
109 |
July 2023 |
89 |
August 2023 |
105 |
September 23 |
95 |
October 2023 |
80 |
November 2023 |
91 |
December 2023 |
67 |
January 2024 |
96 |
February 2024 |
27 |
Average call wait time for calls made to the Parliamentarian Enquiry Line |
||
Month |
Total Calls |
Average Wait Time |
February 2023 |
27 |
00:00:25 |
March 2023 |
62 |
00:00:21 |
April 2023 |
101 |
00:00:23 |
May 2023 |
97 |
00:00:19 |
June 2023 |
109 |
00:00:20 |
July 2023 |
89 |
00:00:18 |
August 2023 |
105 |
00:00:20 |
September 2023 |
95 |
00:00:20 |
October 2023 |
80 |
00:00:22 |
November 2023 |
91 |
00:00:21 |
December 2023 |
67 |
00:00:23 |
January 2024 |
96 |
00:00:23 |
February 2024 |
27 |
00:00:25 |
Number of calls made to our main General Enquiry Lines |
|
Month |
Total Calls |
February 2023 |
43,359 |
March 2023 |
127,389 |
April 2023 |
92,355 |
May 2023 |
85,478 |
June 2023 |
92,156 |
July 2023 |
78,119 |
August 2023 |
85,711 |
September 2023 |
81,212 |
October 2023 |
81,587 |
November 2023 |
82,220 |
December 2023 |
66,273 |
January 2024 |
105,436 |
February 2024 |
36,031 |
Average call wait time for calls made to our main General Enquiry Lines |
||
Month |
Total Calls |
Average Wait Time |
February 2023 |
43359 |
00:21:46 |
March 2023 |
127389 |
00:21:19 |
April 2023 |
92355 |
00:24:15 |
May 2023 |
85478 |
00:17:08 |
June 2023 |
92156 |
00:15:03 |
July 2023 |
78119 |
00:15:34 |
August 2023 |
85711 |
00:13:04 |
September 2023 |
81212 |
00:11:21 |
October 2023 |
81587 |
00:11:36 |
November 2023 |
82220 |
00:12:45 |
December 2023 |
66273 |
00:09:26 |
January 2024 |
105436 |
00:13:03 |
February 2024 |
36031 |
00:11:38 |
Request for information 6:
The Chief Executive Office sent out an introductory letter to all MSPs on 1 October 2018 which highlighted the Parliamentarian Enquiry Line. A copy of this letter is attached for you.
The Parliamentarian Enquiry Line number is contained within regular Chief Executive Office letters to all MSPs, as well as within the standard acknowledgement email sent to MSPs upon receipt of an enquiry.
About FOI
Social Security Scotland is committed to publishing its response to requests. The Scottish Government also publishes responses to requests. You can view the responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
FOI 202400397251