SCOTTISH ministers were alarmed at the prospect of their public and private lives being exposed by the advent of Freedom of Information, official records reveal. Scottish Government cabinet papers from 2005, the year FoI began north of the border, show ministers raised multiple “concerns” about the impact on them, their families and their staff. The discussion, led by then First Minister Jack McConnell, took place just days after FoI claimed the first MSP s resignation. Ministers arranged to discuss their fears with officials running the Government’s FoI unit, and demanded to be warned about “particularly difficult requests”. They were also told who was making the requests.