Volume and processing of Freedom of Information requests: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.


FOI reference: FOI/17/02917
Date received: 29 November 2017
Date responded: 20 December 2017

Information requested

You asked for:

  • The number of Freedom of Information requests replied to within 20 working days
  • The percentage of Freedom of Information requests replied to within 20 working days
  • The number of Freedom of Information requests replied to within the statutory deadline
  • The percentage of Freedom of Information requests replied to within the statutory deadline
  • The number of requests received that were 'refused' because to answer it would exceed the appropriate spending/time limit
  • The percentage of requests received that were 'refused' because to answer it would exceed the appropriate spending/time limit
  • The number of complaints received in relation to FoI replies/process
  • The percentage of complaints received in relation to FoI replies/process

Response

Most of the information you have requested up to the end of 2016 is available from our Annual Reports, which are available from Freedom of Information reporting

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

In addition, I have enclosed information, primarily from 2017 which is not detailed in the annual reports referenced above. I have responded to each part of your request separately below:

The number of Freedom of Information requests replied to within 20 working days and The percentage of Freedom of Information requests replied to within 20 working days

In this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. This is because we record whether cases were answered on time based upon the statutory deadline for that case. In rare cases, this may include EIR requests where the deadline has been extended by up to an additional 20 working days. Therefore, whilst we hold figures on the number of cases answered on time (ie by the statutory deadline), we do not hold separate figures on the number of cases answered within 20 working days. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. (It may help to note that, unlike the UK FOI Act, FOISA does not allow the deadline of a case to be extended for consideration of the public interest.).

The number and percentage of Freedom of Information requests replied to within the statutory deadline

Between 1 January 2017 and 29 November 2017 (the date of your request) 2298 (83%) requests for information were answered within the statutory deadline.

The number and percentage of requests received that were 'refused' because to answer it would exceed the appropriate spending/time limit

Date Number of Requests % of requests
2015 107 4.90%
2016 71 3%
2017 (to 29th November) 122 4%

The number and percentage of complaints received in relation to FoI replies/process

Between 1 January 2017 to 29 November 2017 (the date of your request) 208 (8.7%) requests for reviews were received in relation to FoI replies/process.

You may find it helpful to note that under FOISA, where an applicant expresses dissatisfaction in relation to a response to a request for information or in relation to the way in which their request has been processed this would recorded as a review request rather than being recorded as a complaint and processed in accordance with our obligations under FOISA.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses

Contact

Please quote the FOI reference

Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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