Scottish Executive leads the way with freedom of information refusals

Scottish Executive leads the way with freedom of information refusals

The Scottish Executive has been singled out as the worst performing public authority in the way it responds to freedom of information requests. Kevin Dunion, Scotland's Information Commissioner, told an audience at the Festival of Politics that the Scottish Executive - which drew up the Freedom of Information Act - only provided information for a third of requests.

Most public authorities have a response rate which is twice as good as the Scottish Executive. Mr Dunion said local authorities and higher education institutions replied in full to 65 per cent of requests, with only about 10 per cent refused in full. He added: "The Scottish Executive reveals all information in just 36 per cent of cases. They withhold more information than any other public body and they are appealed to me more than any other public body."

An Executive spokesman insisted that officials only refused requests if there were good grounds for doing so.

Executive is worst for withholding information (The Scotsman, 24 August 2006)