The Scottish Government

Section 1: Introduction to the Scottish Government's Publication Scheme

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) provides individuals with a right of access to all recorded information held by Scotland's public authorities. Anyone can use this right, and information can only be withheld where FOISA expressly permits it.

Section 23 of FOISA also requires that all Scottish public authorities maintain a publication scheme. A publication scheme sets out the types of information that a public authority routinely makes available.

The purpose of the scheme is to provide you with details of the range of information that the Scottish Government routinely publishes. The scheme also provides details of how you can access this information and tells you whether it is available free or if there is a charge for the information. This scheme has been approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner, who is responsible for enforcing FOISA. In order to keep the scheme as inclusive as possible we will review this scheme from time to time.

Alongside FOISA, the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs) provide a separate right of access to the environmental information that we hold. This publication scheme also contains details of the environmental information that we routinely make available.

Where information is not published under this scheme, you can request it from us under FOISA or, in the case of environmental information, the EIRs. For further information on accessing information not covered by this scheme, refer to Section 12 - How to access information not available under the scheme.

You can download a pdf version of the publication scheme here.

The publication scheme is divided in to the following sections:

Section 2: About the Scottish Government

Section 3: Scottish Government Agencies and their Publication Schemes

Section 4: Preparing the Publication Scheme

Section 5: Accessing information under the Scheme

Section 6: Information that we may withhold

Section 7: Our Charging Policy

Section 8: Our Copyright Policy

Section 9: Our Records Management and Disposal Policy

Section 10: Feedback

Section 11: Complaints

Section 12: How to access information which is not available under this Scheme

Section 13: Classes of Information published by the Scottish Government