Meeting of the Parliament 20 June 2018
In speaking to the amendment in my name, I thank Rhoda Grant for giving us the opportunity to further debate the Scottish Information Commissioner’s intervention report. The debate allows me to set out the improvements that are being put in place to ensure that our processes and performance meet the highest standards that are required and expected of us.
The Parliament can—rightly—be proud of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The act is rigorous and is well regarded internationally, and we have sought to maintain that position with incremental changes to the act—for example, the Freedom of Information (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2013 paved the way for reducing the lifespans of key exemptions from 30 to 15 years. The 2002 act has also been extended to bring within its scope numerous bodies, including arm’s-length trusts, providers of secure accommodation for children and young people and private prison contractors.
The Scottish Government takes our FOI commitments seriously, and the Scottish Information Commissioner’s intervention report, which was published last week, was a serious assessment of our FOI handling processes. I am pleased that the report identifies examples of good practice, but it also highlights areas in which improvements in processes are needed. As I informed members last week, the Scottish Government has accepted the recommendations of the report and will develop an action plan by 13 September this year.