Scottish Information Commissioner
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Information Commissioner is responsible for the promotion and enforcement of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
(FOISA) and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004(Scottish EIRs).
This legislation generates thousands of requests to Scotland's public authorities for information. Often these involve high profile, controversial or sensitive matters, which have to be resolved when appealed to the Commissioner. He employs 24 staff in St Andrews
, Fife
, Scotland
, to help him investigate and decide upon cases, provide information to the public on their rights, and assess whether Scottish public authorities are following good practice.
FOISA came into full force on 1 January 2005, at the same time as the Scottish EIRs. In July 2010, the Scottish Information Commissioner issued his 1,000th decision. The Commissioner publishes information on the number of cases he has on hand on his website. He issues guidance for public authorities on their obligations under FOISA , and publishes information on rights to information for the public.
The Commissioner is appointed by The Queen
on the nomination of the Scottish Parliament
, and is an independent public official who makes legally enforceable decisions.
The first and current Commissioner is Kevin Dunion
, appointed in February 2003. His second term commenced in 2008 and will run until February 2012.
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
The Freedom of Information Act 2002 was an Act of the Scottish Parliament passed in 2002. It covers public bodies over which the Scottish Parliament has jurisdiction, fulfilling a similar purpose to the UK-level Freedom of Information Act 2000...
(FOISA) and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004(Scottish EIRs).
This legislation generates thousands of requests to Scotland's public authorities for information. Often these involve high profile, controversial or sensitive matters, which have to be resolved when appealed to the Commissioner. He employs 24 staff in St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, to help him investigate and decide upon cases, provide information to the public on their rights, and assess whether Scottish public authorities are following good practice.
FOISA came into full force on 1 January 2005, at the same time as the Scottish EIRs. In July 2010, the Scottish Information Commissioner issued his 1,000th decision. The Commissioner publishes information on the number of cases he has on hand on his website. He issues guidance for public authorities on their obligations under FOISA , and publishes information on rights to information for the public.
The Commissioner is appointed by The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on the nomination of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, and is an independent public official who makes legally enforceable decisions.
The first and current Commissioner is Kevin Dunion
Kevin Dunion
Kevin Dunion OBE is the first and current Scottish Information Commissioner, as well as the current Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews.-Early life:...
, appointed in February 2003. His second term commenced in 2008 and will run until February 2012.