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.
Freedom of Information
Health
NHS Highland director Woerden tried to hide his £155,000 salary
The NHS Highland public heath director, Hugo van Woerden, has been criticised for attempting to hide his salary of more than £155,000 a year.
Environment, Politics
Scottish airports could lose 220,000 passengers if Heathrow expands
Newly uncovered forecasts reveal Heathrow's expansion could lead to a decrease of more than 220,000 passengers in Scottish airports.
Human rights, Privacy and surveillance
Scottish Government departments failing on freedom of information
The efforts of departments in the Scottish Government to improve their freedom of information performance have been "disappointing", according to Scotland's information watchdog.
Environment
Retailers threaten to remove products from shops over recycling scheme
Retailers have told the Scottish Government they may remove some of their products from shops if Scotland introduces a scheme for recycling drinks containers.
Nuclear weapons
Safety risks exposed by nuclear bomb convoy exercise in Scotland
An emergency exercise imagining an explosion spreading radioactive contamination from a nuclear bomb convoy crash in East Lothian was hampered by communication breakdowns that would have put people at risk.
Human rights, Politics
Council officials push to weaken freedom of information law
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”.
Human rights, Politics
Journalists call for reform to stop public agencies blocking freedom of information
Repeated attempts by government agencies in Scotland to block public access to information show that freedom of information law should be strengthened, say journalists.
Asylum, Society
Serco fined almost £3m by Home Office for asylum housing failures
Serco has been fined millions of pounds by the Home Office for failing to meet the terms of its contract to provide accommodation for asylum seekers in Scotland and Northern Ireland.