Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOI(S)A) gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities. Any person who makes a request to a public authority is entitled to receive that information, subject to exemptions.
You can find out more about FOI(S)A, and what it means for you by visiting the Scottish Information Commissioner's web site at www.itspublicknowledge.info
Under Section 23 of FOI(S)A, the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) must adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the information we routinely make publicly available. Our publication scheme is approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner, who is responsible for the enforcement of FOI(S)A in Scotland. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 in England and Wales is a separate piece of legislation enforced by the Office of the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner also has responsibility for the Data Protection Act 1998 on a nationwide basis.
SPSA is committed to extending the amount of information that is makes available via its publication scheme. SPSA will review its publication scheme annually and will consider additional updates throughout the year if there is significant demand for the information to be published, or if it is apparent that there is strong public interest in its publication. In adopting or reviewing our publication scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interest in:
- Allowing public access to information we hold; and
- The publication of reasons for the decisions we make.
Purpose of this Publication Scheme
The purpose of our publication scheme is to let you know what information we publish, and is readily available from us to encourage a culture of openness and transparency.
Our publication scheme will:
- set out the classes of information which we publish or intend to publish;
- say how we will publish the information in each class; and
- say if we will provide the information free or charge for it.
The publication scheme is not intended to be a complete list of all the information we hold. You can use FOI(S)A to ask to see other information that is not listed in the publication scheme.