Freedom of information

The guide to our publication scheme explains the availability and formats of information, which information is exempt, the charges that may be applied and how to access out of date information.

Guide to our publication scheme

The classes of information that we publish

We publish information that we hold within the classes listed below, which was last updated on 7 January 2019.

Once information is published under a class we will continue to make it available for the current and previous two financial years.

Where information has been updated or superseded, only the current version will be available. If you would like to see previous versions, you may make a request to us for that information.

The staff of the KLTR Office are seconded from The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Government. Therefore, some of the information published under these classes are links to their websites since the KLTR Office does not publish this information separately.

Class 1: About The King's and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer

The King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer (KLTR) is the Crown’s representative in Scotland with authority to deal with property falling to the Crown by operation of law. This includes the land, assets and other rights of dissolved companies, the estates of individuals who die leaving no heirs, and treasure found in Scotland.

The post is held by the interim Crown Agent, John Logue, who is supported in this role by a small department of 6 officials. The KLTR department is entirely self-funding. Its net receipts are paid over to the Scottish Consolidated Fund following deduction of its expenses and running costs.

Class 2: How we deliver our functions and services

Class 2: How we deliver our functions and services

Class Description:

Information about our work, our strategy and policies for delivering functions and services and information for our users.

 

The information we publish under this class

 

How to access it

Functions

 

Bona Vacantia

https://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/bona-vacantia-ownerless-property

  • Company administrative restoration

http://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/company-administrative-restoration

Ultimus Haeres

https://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/estates-ultimus-haeres

  • Estates reported to KLTR but not yet determined if a UH estate or formally accepted as one

http://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/estates-reported-kltr-not-yet-determined-if-uh-estate-or-formally-accepted-one

  • Estates in the course of administration by KLTR

http://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/estates-course-administration-kltr

  • Estates on which administration has been completed and which remain available for claim

http://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/estates-which-administration-has-been-completed-and-which-remain-available-claim

Treasure Trove

http://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/treasure-trove

Code of Practice for Treasure Trove in Scotland

http://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/code-practice-treasure-trove-scotland-0

Treasure Trove in Scotland Annual Reports

Reports & Minutes - Treasure Trove (treasuretrovescotland.co.uk)(link is external)

Treasure Trove Scotland

https://treasuretrovescotland.co.uk/(link is external)

Policies

KLTR's policies

Customer Feedback Policy

KLTR Customer Complaints and Feedback Policy

 

Class 3: How we take decisions and what we have decided.

Class 3: How we take decisions and what we have decided

 

Class Description:

Information about the decisions we take, how we make decisions and how we involve others is set out in our policies.

Policies

 

 Our policies

 

 

Class 4: What we spend and how we spend it.

Class 4: What we spend and how we spend it

Class Description:

Information about our strategy for, and management of, financial resources (in sufficient detail to explain how we plan to spend public money and what has actually been spent).

The staff of the KLTR Office are seconded from The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Scottish Government (SG). Therefore some of the information published under these classes are links to their websites since the KLTR Office does not publish this information separately.

 

The information we publish under this class

(see note above)

 

How to access it

 

Accounts

http://kltr.gov.uk/content/accounts#overlay-context=

The Finance Manual (COPFS)

 

http://www.crownoffice.gov.uk/publications/finance

 

Class 5: How we manage our human, physical and information resources.

Class 5How we manage our human, physical and information resources

Class Description:

Information about how we manage human, physical and information resources.

The staff of the KLTR Office are seconded from The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Scottish Government (SG). Therefore some of the information published under these classes are links to their websites since the KLTR Office does not publish this information separately.

 

The information we publish under this class

(see above note)

 

How to access it

 

Human Resources (SG)

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/

Human Resources (COPFS)

http://www.crownoffice.gov.uk/publications/human-resources

Equality and Diversity (COPFS)

http://www.crownoffice.gov.uk/publications/equality-and-diversity

Greening Government – Policy (COPFS)

http://www.crownoffice.gov.uk/component/content/article/26-footer/foi/291-class-5-how-the-authority-manages-its-human-physical-and-information-resources

 

Class 6: How we procure goods and services from external providers.

Class 6: How we procure goods and services from external providers

Class Description:

Information about how we procure goods and services, and our contracts with external providers.

The staff of the KLTR Office are seconded from The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and goods and services are procured in line with COPFS policies. The KLTR Office does not publish this information separately. A link is included to the procurement section of the COPFS website.

 

The information we publish under this class

(see note above)

 

How to access it

Procurement of goods and services

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/publications/finance

Class 7: How we are performing.

Class 7: How we are performing

Class Description:

Information about how we perform as an organisation, and how well we deliver our functions and services.

 

The information we publish under this class

 

A link to our accounting informaiton is included below. Information regarding equality and diversity policy and monitoring is published by  the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service COPFS (all KLTR staff are seconded from COPFS).

Accounts

Equality and Diversity

http://www.kltr.gov.uk/content/accounts#overlay-context=

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/publications/equality-and-diversity

Class 8: Commercial Activities

Class 8: Our Commercial Publications

 

Class Description:

Information packaged and made available for sale on a commercial basis and sold at market value through a retail outlet.

 

The information we publish under this class

 

 

 

How to access it

 

We do not publish information under this class as we do not sell information packaged for sale on a commercial basis or sold at market value through a retail outlet e.g. bookshop, museum or research journal

Not applicable

 

The King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer

The King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer 

The King's and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer is the Crown’s representative in Scotland who deals with ownerless property. 

The Office of King's and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer (KLTR) is held by the Crown Agent. The KLTR is supported by the KLTR Office which consists of 2 Solicitors and 4 Administrative staff.

The KLTR was created in 1836 by the amalgamation of two existing posts created in 1707 - the King's/Queen's Remembrancer and the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. At one time the Sovereign's, and later the UK Government's, finances were administered by the Treasury. The Treasury's Scottish agent was the KLTR and therefore came under the direct control of the Treasury Commissioners. The Treasury established the Exchequer Office for Scotland in Edinburgh, essentially as a revenue collecting office, with the KLTR at its head. As the opportunities for collecting revenue on behalf of the Crown in Scotland increased so did the functions of the post, particularly in the 19th century. Among other duties, the then QLTR was made responsible for collecting fines and for supervising the funding of the Scottish court system.

In the 1970s, the function of financing that court system was transferred to the Secretary of State for Scotland, and in 1981 the post's functions of paying judicial salaries and funding the prosecution service were transferred to the Lord Advocate. The Exchequer Office was itself therefore closed in 1981 - but the post was retained for the specific purpose of the then QLTR dealing, on behalf of the Crown, with matters of bona vacantiaultimus haeres and Treasure Trove, all three of which are based on the common law principle relating to ownerless goods - Quod nullius est fit domini regis - which means - That which belongs to no one becomes the King's.

In 1981, the Treasury Commissioners decided that the post should in future be held by whoever held the position in Scotland of Crown Agent. This dual appointment still operates, although since devolution the QLTR and now KLTR has been under the direction of Scottish Ministers rather than the Treasury Commissioners.

In terms of the Scotland Act 1998, the Crown's property rights in ownerless goods and the revenues raised from them were transferred to Scottish Ministers. Consequently all net receipts of the KLTR office have since devolution been paid into the Scottish Consolidated Fund, rather than being transferred to the Treasury in London as used to be the case.

Availability and formats

The information we publish through the model scheme is, wherever possible, available on our website. We offer alternative arrangements for people who do not want to, or cannot, access the information online or by inspection at our premises. For example, we can usually arrange to send information to you in a paper copy (although there may be a charge for this).

Exempt Information

We will publish the information we hold which falls within the classes of information below. If a document contains information that is exempt under Scotland’s Freedom of Information laws (for example sensitive personal information or a trade secret), we will remove or redact the information before publication and explain why.

Copyright

Where The King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer holds the copyright in its published information, the information may be copied or reproduced without formal permission, provided that: 

  • it is copied, in whole or in part, or reproduced accurately,
  • it is not used in a misleading context, and
  • the date and source of the material is acknowledged. 

However, no part may be reproduced within a prospectus or in connection with any commercial activity or promotional or advertising campaign. 

Where the King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer does not hold the copyright in information we publish, we will make this clear.

Charges

This section explains when we may make a charge for our publications and how any charge will be calculated. 

There is no charge to view information on our website or at our premises. 

We may charge for providing information to you eg. photocopying and postage, but we will charge you no more than it actually costs us to do so. We will always tell you what the cost is before providing the information to you. 

Our photocopying charge per sheet of paper is show in the table below: 

Type

Size of paper

Pence per sheet of paper

Black and white

A4

10p

Colour

A4

20p

 

Information provided on a CD-ROM will be charged at 50p per computer disc. We can also email documents. 

Postage costs will be recharged at the rate we paid to send the information to you. 

When providing copies of pre-printed publication, we will charge no more than the cost per copy of the total print run.

We do not pass on any other costs to you in relation to our published information. 

KLTR does not print any commercial publications (see Class 8 below).

 

Contact us

You can contact us for assistance with any aspect of this publication scheme. 

We will also advise you how to ask for information that we do not publish or how to complain if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of this publication scheme.

FOI requests and responses

PROACTIVE PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION RELEASED UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2001 (FOISA) AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2004

Under section 1 of FOISA, a person who requests information from a Scottish public authority which holds it, is entitled to be given it by the authority (subject to a number of exceptions set out in FOISA). In addition to responding to individual requests for information, the QLTR also makes available a range of material through our Publication Scheme.

In order to expand on our commitment to greater transparency under FOISA, we also publish information we have provided to applicants where that information is of wider interest than to the person who requested it.  This can be found below, which lists requests and responses from April 2011, in date order, starting with the most recent.

While we do try to provide as much information as possible, there are some requests which relate to exempt information (which does not require to be released under FOISA) where we are not able to provide information to applicants.

Date of request Details of request Link to request and response
     
14 September 2023  Request for number of artefacts handed to Treasure Trove Unit between 01/01/2023 and
31/08/2023 and of request information held relating to ten items handed in during this period, including
photograph of the item, description of the item, approximate location of the find, and
approximate date found. 
Kltr foisa response artefacts redacted
14 September 2023  Request for information held on a discovery handed to Treasure Trove Unit (in summer 2021),
referred to as the Dunscore hoard, and  photographs and any other details held
(eg. catalogued information) of coins contained in this hoard
Kltr foisa response dunscore
17 July 2023  Request for information relating to the maintenance of  corporate estate i.e.
operational buildings, land and any other property
Kltr foisa response corporate estate
12 July 2023 Request for site of 1) A copy of the memorandum which explains the  ‘Petition for Gifts’ procedure 2) A copy of the procedure whereby KLTR can require solicitors to advertise for heirs as referred to in Currie on Confirmation for Executors  Kltr foisa currie on confirmation
22 February 2023 Request for information relating to all property claimed by KLTR between 01/01/23 and 31/03/23. 11 04 23
17 February 2023 Request for information relating to policy BV5. 11 04 23 (1)
3 November 2022 Request for information relating to collaborative messaging apps. 28 11 22
27 October 2022 Request for information relating to social media supplier. 03 11 22
12 September 2022 Request for information relating to expenditure on equality, diversity, and inclusivity. 12.09.22
16 July 2022 Request for information relating to the departments current Multi-Functional Devices and printing/scanning services contract(s). 16.07.22
24 January 2021 Request for information regarding QLTR sale of land at South Queensferry FOI South Queensferry
7 August 2021  Request for information relating to QLTR's mobile and telephone systems see https://www.copfs.gov.uk/freedom-of-information/published-information/responses-we-have-made-to-foi-requests regarding responses made by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
28 February 2020 Request for information regarding names published on the QLTR's list of Estates on which administration has been completed and which remain available for claim (see further our Estates / Ultimus Haeres page). FOI - UH case
4 November 2019 Request for information regarding Block 8, Unit 43 Port Glasgow Industrial Estate, Glasgow. FOI - ebury
15 September 2018 Request for information regarding notices received by QLTR from prospective claimants under Section 43 of the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012 FOI response 25.9.18
14 March 2018

Request for information regarding the office's annual procurement reports

FOI - response 27.03.18
9 February 2018

Further request for information regarding the SS Spirit of the tay

FOI - spirit of tay - part1

FOI - spirit of tay - part2

2 February 2018

Request for information regarding the SS Spirit of the Tay

FOI - spirit of tay bv14

22 October 2017

Request for information regarding the roadway known as Elliot Terrace, Falkirk

FOI - elliot terrace

16 May 2017

Request for information regarding Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel (SAFAP)

FOI - SAFAP

8 March 2017

Request relating to genealogical information the QLTR may hold in relation to UH202/09 and UH/198/09

FOI - genealogical information

9 February 2017

Request for information regarding bona vacantia property/funds on individual cases since 2010

FOI - ownerless funds

9 February 2017

Request for information regarding bona vacantia property/funds on individual cases since 2010

FOI - ownerless funds - redacted

2 September 2016

Request relating to information held regarding title investigations for an area of land at Travebank Gardens, Monifieth

FOI - clova homes limited

18 April 2016

Request for information regarding the roadway known as Elliot Terrace, Falkirk

FOI - elliot terrace

17 March 2016

Request for information regarding (1) Two carved stone balls (2) two romano-celtic and celtic heads

 

FOI - GE1515

20 January 2016

Request for confirmation of number of staff working at QLTR

FOI - staffing numbers

28 September 2015

Request for a copy of the files including maps, reports, files and any photographs in relation to 5 Treasure Trove finds and to be advised if all of the items been handed over to Stewartry Museum.

FOI - GE815

28 September 2015

Request for of all correspondence, including telephone records and emails and all documents received by and issued from QLTR in respect of the sale of the grass verge adjacent to 10 Springfield Road, including any negotiations, offers or intimations of interest from the person to whom we have sold the subjects or any other party and for the same materials for the valuation of £3000, how it was reached and copies of any correspondence in relation to that valuation between QLTR, the District Valuer and any other relevant party or party.

FOI GE2014

30 March 2015

Request to be supplied with all email correspondence sent out or received between 17th March and 19th March by every member of our senior management team which contains any of the following words: Daffodil, Mombasa, Maersk, Hephaestus, Vaccine.

 

FOI - words

24 February 2015

Request for contact details for the people that are responsible for purchasing Staff ID Cards and card wearing accessories such as lanyars, card holders etc, door access/swipe card or Fobs, plastic card printer ribbons and any other ID card related consumables

FOI - GE1814

11 July 2014

11 July 2014 - Request for details as to number of employee who were given voluntary redundancy, compulsory redundancy,  early retirement, compromise agreements or any other form of severence in the financial year 2013/14 and costs of these and total of full-time equivalent staff headcount in the same financial year

 

FOI GE714

12 June 2014

Request for information on the title to property of a dissolved company and documents.

FOI - BV288013

9 May 2014

Request for identification of those parties who have intimated an interest in subjects with a view to submitting an offer.

FOI -BV322613

26 March 2014

Request for information about the number of contracts awarded by the QLTR to a supported business in the last 5 years.

FOI - GE1213

7 August 2013

Request for information as to a deceased's family members, wives and children

FOI - UH3111

26 July 2013

Request for information re how many staff employed directly by the QLTR were employed on a Zero Hours contract in each of the past five years

FOI - GE513

1 February 2013 

Request for information re ulimus haeres estates and QLTR procedures

FOI - GE1312

31 January 2013

Request regarding land at Harvey Square, Lochwinnoch

FOI - BV86808

10 January 2013

Inquiry sent to the Treasure Trove Unit for information on finds on the Abercairny Estate, Fowlis Wester in the last 10 years.

FOI - GE1112

7 January 2013 

Request regarding land at Harvey Square, Lochwinnoch

FOI - BV86808 (1)

7 January 2013 

Request for all genealogical/disclosable information held by QLTR re Michael Curran (aka Coron) who died on 9 July 2007 in Edinburgh.

FOI - UH18809

18 December 2012

Request for information to assist in locating the deceased Dmytris (formerly Dmytro) Kalka's place of birth and family

FOI - UH4012

23 November 2012

Request for information re voluntary redundancies, compulsory redundancies, early retirements, severence or other payments on termination of employment and comprise agreements for individuals in each financial year since 2007/08.

FOI - GE912

6 November 2012

Request for a list of estates fallen to the Crown in Scotland, which seems to be unavailable from the website. In particular Murlaggan, Bohenie and Achnacoichan area

FOI - GE812

4 October 2012

Request for details as to legal costs for advice or legal opinion re how to respond to FOI enquiry.

FOI - GE712

25 September 2012

Request regarding land at Harvey Square, Lochwinnoch

FOI - BV86808

16 May 2012

Request for information re the estate of Carole Ann Denmark and general information re the advertisement of high value estates.

Foi ge212

20 April 2012

Request for information re media and press officers, their salaries, expenditure and expenditure re external PR agencies

FOI - GE112

11 November 2011

Request for Employee details, childcare schemes and how scheme providers procured

FOI - GE4011

11 October 2011

Request for information re the estate of Felicja Mazurek.

No link available

22 July 2011

Request for information re the estate of Ivan Werhun.

FOI - GE811

7 July 2011

Request for information re the estates of Margaret Nora Ritchie, Theresa O’Brien, Catherine Langley, Kathleen Mulligan & Elizabeth Boswell.

FOI - GE711

18 May 2011

Request for Request for information re the estate of Michael McLoughlin.

Foi uh12109

11 May 2011

Request for information re net receipts transferred to the Scottish Consolidated Fund since devolution.

No link available

9 May 2011

Request for information re the estates of Katherine Stronach, John Stevenson, Felicja Mazurek, Norma Jarvie, John Lloyd, John McGill, Mary Macauley, Derek Hardie, Ian McDougall and Patrick Glynn.

FOI - GE511

3 May 2011

Request for information in relation to what basis finds are to be reported to the Treasure Trove Unit rather than the Police under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act, what legal advice the Unit have had and copy papers regarding the compatibility of procedures under the 1982 Act.

FOI - GE411

12 April 2011 

Request for information re the estate of Patrick Glynn, Robert Renton, Andrew Murphy, Ian McDougall, Crighton Finlay, and Isabella Bell.

No link available

8 April 2011

Request for information re the estates of Patrick Glynn, Robert Renton, Andrew Murphy, Ian McDougall, Crighton Findlay and Isabella Bell.

FOI - GE111

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