Does Freedom of Information Act apply to Scotland?
There are several laws which govern and regulate access to information in Scotland. The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which gives everyone the right to ask for any information held by Scottish public authorities including NRS.
What is an foi publication scheme?
The Freedom of Information ( FOI ) Act requires all public authorities to produce a Publication Scheme that specifies the classes of information which the public authority publishes or intends to publish.
What does the Freedom of Information Publication Scheme provide?
The Freedom of Information Act encourages public authorities to make as much information as possible available to the public proactively. We do this by publishing the data that people need to understand who we are, what we spend and what we achieve.
How do I make a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish Government?
To request information you can:
- email [email protected].
- write to: General Enquiries Scottish Government. St. Andrew’s House. Regent Road. Edinburgh. EH1 3DG.
- you can also make a verbal request for environmental information under the EIRs by calling our Central Enquiries Unit on 0300 244 4000.
Who enforces the Freedom of Information Act in Scotland?
The Scottish Information Commissioner
The Scottish Information Commissioner 35. The Act establishes the post of a fully independent Scottish Information Commissioner, with responsibility to promote and enforce the FOI legislation.
Does the ICO cover Scotland?
Scotland has its own Information Commissioner who regulates the Freedom for Information (Scotland) Act which covers Scottish public authorities. Because of this, the main focus of our Scottish office is data protection, for which the ICO is the sole regulatory body in Scotland.
How long do you have to respond to an FOI?
20 working days
You normally have 20 working days to respond to a request. For a request to be valid under the Freedom of Information Act it must be in writing, but requesters do not have to mention the Act or direct their request to a designated member of staff.
Who can I send a Freedom of Information request to?
The aim of the Freedom of Information Act is to make information available to the general public. You can only obtain information that would be given to anybody who asked for it, or would be suitable for the general public to see.
What must be done if a request for information Cannot be understood?
Requests are often ambiguous, with many potential interpretations, or no clear meaning at all. If you can’t answer the request because you are not sure what is being requested, you must contact the requester as soon as possible for clarification.
Should all information be published?
You should include all information that falls in the seven classes, unless there is a good reason not to. This is in line with one of the principles of the Act – that public information should be made available unless there is good reason to withhold it, and the Act allows it.
How do I contact the Scottish First Minister?
Get in touch with the First Minister: [email protected].