Reinforcing Openness And Fair-Dealing In The Public Sector

• Published date: 24 May 2023
• Law Firm: Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP
• Author: Ashley French

In this article, our Regulatory Risk and Compliance team (RRC team) discusses the increasing need for firms dealing with government to be alert to the impact of transparency and fair-dealing regulations and how changes in these rules pose risks and may also give rise to opportunities.

This is an evolving area and the RRC team will provide updates to reflect key developments.

The Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill

A draft proposal for a bill to reform Freedom of Information legislation in Scotland with the aim of increasing transparency in the public sector could substantially extend existing freedom of information rights.

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, which came into force on 1 January 2005, requires public authorities in Scotland to provide recorded information they hold to a requester unless a statutory exemption applies. In this way, the regime has over its lifetime afforded a level of...