Scottish Pubs Code Adjudicator: model publication scheme

Introduction

Scottish pubs code adjudicator publication scheme

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) provides individuals with a right to request any recorded information held by Scotland's public authorities. Anyone can use this right, and information can only be withheld where FOISA expressly permits it.

Section 23 of FOISA also requires that all Scottish public authorities maintain a publication scheme. A publication scheme sets out the types of information that a public authority routinely makes available.

We've adopted the Model Publication Scheme developed and approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner. The Commissioner is responsible for enforcing FOISA.

The Commissioner's Model Publication Scheme is designed to ensure that authorities meet their obligation to take account of the public interest in providing access to the information that they hold which relates to:

• the services they provide
• the costs of those services
• the standard of those services
• the facts that inform the important decisions they take
• the reasoning that informs their decisions

We've adopted the Model Publication Scheme without amendment and have made the commitment to publish all information we hold which falls within the classes in the scheme. The information we publish is, where possible, available on the Scottish Pubs Code Adjudicator’s website.

Availability and formats

The information we publish through the model scheme is, wherever possible, available on our website.

We offer alternative arrangements for people who do not want to, or cannot, access the information online.

For example, we can usually arrange to post information in paper copy (although there may be a charge for this).

Information that we may withhold

Our aim is to be as open as possible. However, there may be circumstances where information will be withheld from publication.

Information will only be withheld, where FOISA (or, in the case of environmental information, the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004) expressly permits it.

Information may be withheld, for example, where its disclosure would breach the law of confidentiality, harm commercial interests, or endanger the protection of the environment. Information may also be withheld if it is another person's personal information, and its release would breach data protection legislation.

Where we withhold information we will remove it or redact it before publication.

If you wish to complain about any information which has been withheld from you, please contact us.