Freedom of Information

“An Act to make provision for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them…”
Freedom of Information Act (Scotland) 2002

What is it?

Section 23 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 states that it is the duty of all public authorities (including non-departmental public bodies) to adopt and maintain a publication scheme. The publication scheme should contain details of the classes of information that the body publishes or intends to publish and details of any charges for accessing such information.

Download/ read our Guide to Freedom of Information and view the publications scheme

The Scottish Information Commissioner has approved our publications scheme which is available by clicking on the links within this page or to the right.

Why do we have a Freedom of Information Act?

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 was designed to promote a culture of openness and accountability amongst public sector bodies by providing people with rights of access to the information held by them. It is intended that by granting rights to information under publication schemes, people will better understand how public authorities carry out their duties, why they make the decisions they do and how they spend public money.

How will it work?

Any information can be requested under the Act. It is important to note that exemptions to the information the Council has to provide can apply, and the Scottish Arts Council will use these exemptions where appropriate. An example of this might be where information is covered by the Data Protection Act 1998 and where information is of a commercially sensitive nature.

How do I access personal information held at the Scottish Arts Council?

Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have the right to ask the Scottish Arts Council to inform you whether it processes any personal information relating to you and to provide you with a copy. Read more about accessing personal information…

Queries?

If you have any questions about the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, or the Data Protection Act 1998, please contact the Compliance Officer of The Scottish Arts Council on 0131 240 2438.