Scottish Information Commissioner calls for action to halt erosion of FOI rights

The Scottish Information Commissioner has fired a warning over the loss of freedom of information rights when public services are delivered through arm’s length organisations and third parties.

Publishing her organisation’s annual report, Rosemary Agnew described her concern about the issue as “ever-growing”.

She said: “FOI was introduced for a reason - to ensure that the delivery of public services and the spending of public money is transparent, open and accountable.

“It is simply not acceptable that citizens' rights continue to be eroded through complex changes in the delivery of services. This must be looked at as an immediate priority."

The annual report revealed that appeals to the Scottish Information Commissioner rose 24% over the 12 months. Three quarters of the appeals (77%) were made by members of the public. Other appeals came from the media (12%), commercial organisations (6%) and the voluntary sector (2%).

Agnew called on the Scottish Government to “look seriously at the designation of bodies under FOI, to ensure that the erosion of FOI rights arising from the outsourcing of public services can be halted”.

She added: "The current economic situation is leading to an increase in FOI requests to authorities, as people naturally want to understand the reasons behind decisions that affect them. At the same time, authorities are finding themselves with fewer resources to respond.

“My priority as Commissioner is to help the public make better targeted, more effective requests, while also developing resources to support public authorities in responding to those requests faster and more efficiently.”

The report revealed that the Scottish Information Commissioner’s Office had sharply reduced the time it takes for the Commissioner to investigate an appeal and issue a decision.

Almost half of the appeals (45%) related to information held by local government.

The annual report can be viewed here. 

Philip Hoult