Scottish Government mulls extension of FOI laws to wider range of bodies
The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on extending coverage of freedom of information laws to a wider range of public bodies.
The consultation paper asks for views on whether the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 should be extended to:
- Leisure, sport and cultural trusts and bodies used by local authorities
- The Glasgow Housing Association
- Contractors who build and maintain schools
- Contractors who build and maintain hospitals
- Contractors who build, manage and maintain trunk roads under private finance contracts, and
- Contractors who run privately managed prisons and provide prisoner escort services.
The Scottish Government said that it had “not reached firm conclusions on which bodies it would be appropriate to extend coverage to”.
It added: “We are particularly mindful of the importance of establishing whether coverage would place undue financial burdens upon bodies at a time of economic difficulties. Creating additional regulatory or financial requirements must be appropriate and proportionate.”
The consultation paper explores the issues already raised with the Scottish Government in relation to particular types of bodies, and presents the rationale for extending coverage to them.
