1. www.centrefoi.org.uk Proactive publication seminar Proactive publishing: a way to manage information requests? - Claire Turnbull, Scottish Parliament Proactive publication: some examples – Sarah Hutchison, Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner FOI Practitioners Conference, 27 June 2013

2. Proactive publishing – a way to manage information requests?

3. Proactive publication and FOI We now publish even more information than before Replied to hundreds of individual FOI requests Looking for trends FOI processes and training Learned things along the way

4. Proactive publishing examples and background Quarterly MSP expenses Management plans and SPCB papers Supplier contracts database Management plans/ papers/reports/minutes MSP biographies/downloadable photos Quarterly catering budgets

5. Reasons for proactive publishing We want you to know what we do High profile/reputation Public purse/ cost & efficiency Statutory reasons Cultural reasons Feedback Technical ease

6. Publishing Risks Vast amount of information Preferred formats Access New requirements/developments Updating

7. Publishing Risks Personal data Commercially sensitive information Copyright requirements – ours to publish? Of broad or personal interest? Could prompt more questions Consistency League tables

8. Benefits of proactive publishing Expectations/reputation Underpins what we do Economic Context is provided in our replies Can publish in own time No 20 day deadline An additional resource for requesters Could be published (whatdotheyknow)

9. Benefits of proactive publishing Efficient/small team Fewer individual requests/replies More positive input for us Answering questions before they are asked Its about transparency

10. Lessons Learned….. Publish at the beginning……not at the end FOI requests can identify trends Publishing can reduce requests Third parties may publish Timing and sensitivities Managing expectations Digital environment

11. Next steps and open data Digital environment - open data and datasets Mobile formats Open data working group

12. Any questions? On risks? On benefits? On lessons learned?

13. Disclosure Log Developed and running for several years Linked to database Contains many replies spanning wide range Organised by reference number and date Can be searched Second version more user friendly Feedback

14. Disclosure Log Located near publication scheme on website Additional internal/external resource Higher quality of replies? Must be consistent Previous examples to inform new replies

15. Disclosure Log Considerations Where and how to publish What information to publish Costs and technical requirements Extracts or whole reply? All replies or only some? Might encourage more requests League tables Staff time to add details and publish Risks of errors

16. Disclosure Log Considerations Keeping data up to date Additional work When to archive Responses out of date Personal data Copyright, ours to publish?

17. Disclosure Log Considerations We determine when to publish Within 24 hours of answering Shows transparency Shows consistency An additional resource for requesters Internal resource Replies could be published anyway

18. Disclosure Log Considerations Its not a secret its published! Can answer all or part of new requests Can reduce time answering new requests Quality of responses

19. Disclosure Log Considerations Technical requirements Additional processes Keep adding information regularly Must be kept up to date Hyperlinks must work Consistency Personal data removed

20. Proactive publication – some examples

21. Case study 1 – Menie Estate

25. How many applications to the Commissioner?

26. Case study 2 – Release of the Lockerbie bomber

30. How many applications to the Commissioner?

32. Case study 3 – Edinburgh property repairs

34. How many applications to the Commissioner?

36. How many requests to the Council?