Section 4: Preparing the Publication Scheme
When preparing or reviewing our publication scheme, we are obliged by FOISA to have due regard to the public interest in providing access to the information that we hold which relates to:
- the services we provide;
- the costs of those services;
- the standard of those services;
- the facts that inform the important decisions we take; and
- the reasoning that informs our decisions.
In preparing this publication scheme, we have undertaken wide ranging and detailed consultation across the organisation to establish the kinds of information that should be made available so as to meet the above requirements. In doing so, we have also given effect to the Government's own "6 principles of Freedom of Information", which generally speaking, underpin our approach to FOI matters [1]. These principles, in particular, make clear the Scottish Government's commitment to open government and publishing information proactively whenever possible.
We have also analysed the types of requests that are more routinely made to us under FOISA and assessed whether the kinds of information released could be published by us more proactively. Additionally, we have sought the views of the Scottish Public Information Forum (which represents both the public and all Scottish public authority sectors) on the terms of our scheme. In light of all this activity, we are content that our publication scheme takes account of the requirements specified above.
[1] The Scottish Government's 6 principles of FOI may be viewed at www.scotland.gov.uk/