1. Freedom of Information What Difference Has it Made?
Kevin Dunion, Scottish Information Commissioner
Festival of Politics , Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
August 2010

2. Freedom of information – a public right
“A person who requests information from a Scottish public authority which holds it is entitled to be given it.”
(Section 1(1))

3. How do we know if it is working?
you get the information you want without having to give reasons for wanting it
you can get information authorities don’t want to give you
you can find the information without even having to ask
                 .

4. Getting the answers, with no questions asked
Q: “Please provide me with the details of how many working days were lost last year through staff in your organisation being off sick due to anxiety, stress or other psychological factors.”
A: “Since 2008 – over days lost” – equivalent to 300 officers off work for a year.

5. Without FoI we would not know about…Parliamentarians’ expenses.

6. Without FOI we would not know… what is in public spending contracts
Scottish Parliament

7. Without FoI would not know… surgical mortality rates

8. Authorities must justify non- disclosure
What information does the authority hold
Which exemptions justify withholding
Where is the harm and what is in the public interest
Tell people of their right to appeal to the Commissioner

9. Childhood Leukaemia Statistics- the risk of personal identification

10. Putting information into the public domain
OpenUp the information you need
The hunt is on for the best ideas for information services that use government data.
Enter the challenge to win £1,000 cash and a TSO fund of £50,000 for your idea development!

11. Commissioner’s website www.itspublicknowledge.info
Kevin Dunion

12. Want more information? – just ask!
Contact: