Post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
The Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee (PAPLS) is undertaking post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
About the inquiry
The Committee took evidence from stakeholders on 22 March 2018. The Committee took evidence from the Scottish Information Commisioner on 10 January 2019 and agreed to undertake post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
A SPICe briefing was also prepared for the Committee and also contains information about recent developments.
A second SPICe briefing was prepared, which includes global right to information data, September 2019.
Call for Evidence
The Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee launched a call for written views as part of its post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the 2002 Act). The call for views launched on 6 of March 2019. The deadline was extended until the 21 June 2019.
Call for Views
Read the written submissions
Oral evidence session 19 September 2019
The Committee took evidence in a roundtable format from - Claire Cairns, Coalition of Carers; Severin Carrell, Scotland Editor, The Guardian; Dr Craig Dalzell, Head of Policy Research, Common Weal; Rob Edwards, Director and co-founder The Ferret; Carole Ewart, Convener, Campaign for Freedom of Information Scotland; Stephen Lowe, Policy Officer, UNISON Scotland; Nick McGowan-Lowe, Organiser Scottish Office, National Union of Journalists; and Bailey-Lee Robb, MSYP and Trustee, Scottish Youth Parliament.
Please read the Official Report of 19 September 2019.
Meeting papers for 19 September 2019
Minutes from 19 September 2019
Meeting Correspondence and follow-up
Letter to Convener from Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, 29 August 2019 (446KB pdf)
Supplimentary evidence submitted by Journalists following evidence session, 22 October 2019 (326KB pdf)
Oral evidence session 3 October 2019
The Committee took evidence from Professor Kevin Dunion, Honorary Professor in the School of Law and Executive Director of the Centre of Freedom of Information, University of Dundee; Dr Karen McCullagh, Lecturer in Law and Course Director, LLM Media Law, Policy and Practice, UEA Law School, University of East Anglia; Professor Colin Reid, Professor of Environmental Law, University of Dundee; Alistair Sloan, Solicitor, Inksters Solicitors;
Dr Ben Worthy (by video link), Senior Lecturer in Politics at Birkbeck College, University of London.
Please read the Official Report of 3 October 2019
Meeting papers for 3 October
Minutes of meeting 3 October 2019
Oral evidence session 7 November 2019
The Committee took evidence in a roundtable format from:
Police Scotland; NHS Lanarkshie; Angus Council; NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; University of Edinburgh; Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service; Aberdeen City Council; Society of Local Authority Lawyers and Administrators in Scotland.
Please read the Official Report of the Meeting 7 November 2019
Meeting papers of 7 November 2019.
Minutes from 7 November 2019.
Oral evidence session 5 December 2019
The Committee took evidence form Daren Fitzhenry, the Scottish Information Commissioner and Lorraine Currie, Freedom of Information Officer (Policy and Information), Scottish Information Commissioner.
Please read the Official Report of 5 December 2019
Meeting papers for 5 December 2019
Minutes of 5 December 2019
Meeting correspondence and follow-up
Supplementary evidence from the Scottish Information Commissioner 10 December 2019 (382KB pdf)
Supplementary evidence from UNISON Scotland, 12 December 2019 (209KB pdf)
Supplementary evidence from Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland, 13 December 2019 (90KB pdf)
Submission from Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland, 13 December 2019 (554KB pdf)
Oral evidence session 19 December 2019
The Committee took evidence from Graeme Dey, Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, Gerry Hendricks, Head of the FOI Unit and Graham Crombie, Head of Policy and Casework, Scottish Government.
Please read the Official Report of 19 December 2019
Meeting papers for 19 December 2019
Minutes from 19 December 2019
Meeting correspondence and follow-up
Letter from Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, 14 January 2020 (165KB pdf)
Freedom of Information International Review: Scope of Bodies Included, report by Douglas Jack 2019
Committee Report
Post-legislative scrutiny: Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Accompanying press release (115KB pdf)
Correspondence and follow-up
Letter to the Acting Convener from the Scottish Information Commissioner, 17 June 2020 (134KB pdf)
Letter to Acting Convener from the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, 1 July 2020 (315KB pdf)
Letter from Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, Scottish Government, to Acting Convener, 25 November 2020 (155KB pdf)
Scottish Government Response
Letter to Convener from Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, 25 February 2021 (431KB pdf)