Parliamentary News Release
067/2004
26 October 2004
PARLIAMENT GEARS UP FOR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
From today the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will make available online policy papers it has considered since August 2004. From now on papers will be published alongside the minutes of the relevant SPCB meeting. This forms part of the Corporate Body's preparations to meet the terms of the Freedom of Information ( Scotland ) Act (FOI).
Some papers will not be published where, for example, publication would breach the Data Protection Act. Where exemptions to FOI legislation or other legal reasons apply, the papers concerned may not be published. The Corporate Body will endeavour to make as much information available as is practicable and consistent with the legal provisions concerned.
The minutes of SPCB meetings are already published on the web. From today the website also provides links to the relevant associated policy papers considered at each meeting, including papers backdated to August 2004.
By putting in place these publishing arrangements the Parliament and SPCB aim to meet the terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act before it comes into formal effect on 1 January 2005.
Presiding Officer George Reid said:
“The Scottish Parliament is committed to openness as one of its four founding principles. We believe our publication scheme reflects that commitment.
“Over time, we hope that the Parliament will be regarded as a leading example of openness, and a model Scottish public authority in the way it responds to the new freedom of information regime in Scotland .”
Background
Requests for historical SPCB policy papers will be considered under the terms of the publication scheme. The SPCB accepts the “duty to assist” with such requests as far as is reasonable, a duty placed upon it by the Act.
For full details of Parliament's publication scheme, see:
The contact for members of the media is:
James Mackenzie: 0131 348 5605
Email: james.mackenzie@scottish.parliament.uk
For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 34 85000
For general enquiries, contact: 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
Text phone: 0131 348 3415 RNID Typetalk calls welcome on 018001
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk