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.
East Lothian Council
Crime and justice, Human rights
Every prisoner should have the right to vote, say human rights groups
Every prisoner in Scotland should be given the right to vote in elections, according to an independent penal reform organisation.
Environment
Named: councils that have let thousands of litter louts go scot free
People issued with a fine for dropping litter in eight Scottish council areas faced no chance of being referred to the courts if they simply refused to pay, The Ferret can reveal.
Housing and homelessness
Revealed: the hidden storage costs faced by Scotland’s homeless
Homeless people are often charged by local authorities for storing their personal belongings after they lose their accommodation.
Privacy and surveillance
Scottish councils still ‘misusing’ surveillance powers
Councils across Scotland are failing to implement surveillance laws properly, according to inspection reports obtained by The Ferret.