Scottish Government urged to intervene over Scottish Enterprise transparency concerns

Amnesty International has called on the Scottish Government to intervene after its economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise, refused to publish key information about how it ensures funding for defence companies does not contribute to the ongoing genocide in Gaza or other serious violations of international law.

The agency was forced to review its human rights due diligence procedures last year after it emerged that no business applying for support had ever failed a human rights check, despite millions of pounds being paid to companies linked to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

However, following a Freedom of Information request, Scottish Enterprise has refused to publish the revised guidance or provide information about how it is enforcing a ban on companies linked to Israel receiving new grants. The ban was announced by the First Minister in September 2025.

Amnesty International wrote to Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn MSP this week, urging him to intervene and ensure the information is published without delay.

The letter states:

“Measures were introduced by the Scottish Government in response to serious concerns regarding its international obligations, including the risk of complicity in genocide and other grave violations of international law.

“It is firmly in the public interest that Scottish Enterprise urgently publishes both its revised human rights due diligence procedures and further information on how the First Minister’s September 2025 policy is being implemented in practice.

“Without such transparency, it is impossible for Parliament, civil society organisations and the wider public to assess whether the safeguards announced by the Scottish Government are operating effectively.”

Neil Cowan, Amnesty International UK’s Scotland Programme Director, said:

“Scottish Enterprise’s steadfast refusal to publish information that is so clearly in the public interest should ring alarm bells.

“Amnesty’s research revealed that, as genocide was unfolding in Gaza, Scottish Enterprise continued to provide millions of pounds in funding to companies linked to Israel, while no new human rights checks were carried out.

“We and others had to push relentlessly to secure a review of the human rights guidance that remained in place until June 2025. An independent analysis commissioned by Amnesty found that guidance to be wholly inadequate and applied in a haphazard manner.

“Last September, the First Minister announced further measures, including a block on companies involved in Israel receiving new grants.

“Yet on neither of these issues is Scottish Enterprise willing to publish evidence that its commitments have been honoured and implemented.

“The question of whether Scotland is risking complicity in genocide could hardly be more serious or more urgent. The Economy Secretary must intervene.”