RESPONSES ON TOPIC 1 - APPROPRIATE PREPARATION TIME (Question 8)
6.1 A number of respondees commented on this issue, reflecting such topics as:
- their own experience of implementation,
- the issues which would need to be addressed during preparation time (e.g. Publication Scheme, staff training, development of handling procedures and guidance)
- the resource implications of becoming subject to the Act,
- the possible need for preparation time to be scaled by relating to the size of organisation
- need for time to establish "sound" records management procedures
6.2 One respondee expressed the view that "sufficient timescale flexibility should be allowed to take into account the size, complexity and staffing resource levels of an organisation in order that robust and effective compliance procedures can be set in place that will ensure efficient and satisfactory working under the requirements of the Act." Others considered that the preparation time allowed might differ between new-start organisations and those newly covered but which had been in existence fro some time. Specific timescales were also suggested and detail on this is provided in Annex 5.