Human rights
20 public bodies pressing for restrictions on public right to know
Twenty public sector bodies have urged MSPs to weaken freedom of information law by increasing charges, widening exemptions and relaxing deadlines.
Twenty public sector bodies have urged MSPs to weaken freedom of information law by increasing charges, widening exemptions and relaxing deadlines.
The efforts of departments in the Scottish Government to improve their freedom of information performance have been "disappointing", according to Scotland's information watchdog.
Senior local authority officials are lobbying to relax freedom of information law so that they can increase charges, delay responses and reject more requests as “vexatious”.
Repeated attempts by government agencies in Scotland to block public access to information show that freedom of information law should be strengthened, say journalists.
The Scottish Information Commissioner has intervened in ten different public agencies to try and remedy transparency failings over the last year, a report reveals.
The Scottish Government has been condemned by its freedom of information watchdog for breaking the law by blocking requests from journalists and MSPs.
The new Scottish Information Commissioner has launched an investigation into allegations that the Scottish Government has blocked or delayed freedom of information requests.