Freedom of information "needs higher profile"
say campaigners
Scottish public authorities need to do more to prepare for the
Freedom of Information Act, according to campaigners.
The Campaign for Freedom
of Information in Scotland (CFOIinS) points to a number of recent reports
each suggesting that UK public authorities are badly prepared
for the Freedom of Information Act, which comes fully into force in January
2005. It believes that Scottish authorities are unlikely to be any better
prepared. The surveys show that many authorities accept that they are under-prepared
for the legislation and some are not planning to adopt measures in advance
of the Act at all.
“The Act will have a profound effect on the work of public authorities.
If they don’t take immediate steps to prepare for it, it will trip them
up when it comes into force. They will get into unnecessary disputes with people
applying
for information, perhaps leading to enforcement action from the Information
Commissioner. Ultimately they will be forced to disclose information which
they should never have refused, having succeeded only in damaging their
public reputation” a Campaign spokesperson said.
The Campaign is calling on the Scottish Executive’s Freedom of Information
Implementation Group (FOIIG) to do more to publicise the legislation.
It is also calling for the group - which is made up of exclusively of officials
-
to widen its membership to include members from non-governmental organisations
and independent experts. It wants it follow the approach of the UK government,
which has set up a committee made up of officials and NGOs, including
press
representatives, to advise ministers on implementing the UK Freedom of
Information Act.
Note to Editors
The Campaign was addressing the ninth meeting of the FOIIG, which met in
Edinburgh today [Friday 26 September 2003]. A copy of the presentation
is attached.
Sunday 28 September is International Right to Know Day when open government
groups across the world are calling on governments to take action
to improve the public’s right to official information. See: http://www.aip-bg.org/~foianet/rkd.htm.
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 will come fully into
force in January 2005, at the same time as the UK Freedom of Information
Act
2000.
