Freedom of Information in Scotland - progress toward implementation

Claire Sigsworth, Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner

Wednesday 17th November 2004, 6:30 pm (refreshments available from 6:10 pm)

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 36 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3HU (street map)

With only 6 weeks to go before the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 comes into effect, this presentation will provide an overview of the new law and the impact it will have on Scottish public life. It will look at:

• The Scottish Act in the context of other access to information
  laws around the world.
• The role of the Scottish Information Commissioner, the official
  charged with enforcing and promoting the public's right to access
  information.
• The relationship between the freedom of Information (Scotland)
  Act, the Data Protection Act (1998) and the Freedom of Information
  Act (2000).
• Progress made so far by the 10,000 public authorities preparing
  for the Act's implementation.

For more information see: www.itspublicknowledge.info

About the speaker

Claire is a Freedom of Information Officer in the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner (OSIC). This role entails a variety of tasks including:

• Developing and delivering briefing materials on the Freedom of
  Information (Scotland) Act.
• Responding to enquiries from both public authorities and the
  public.
• Promoting the Act.
• Media relations.
• Approving publication schemes.
• From 2005, carrying out investigations.
  

Before joining OSIC in August 2003, Claire worked in London as a political analyst in the BBC News Analysis and Research department, where she specialised in Scottish and Welsh devolved politics. Before that she studied and tutored in the department of English Language at the University of Edinburgh.