The Jimmy Reid Foundation (JRF) welcomes the proposal for a bill to reform the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FoISA). FoISA is a powerful tool to hold government and public authorities to account. However, FoISA has been allowed to weaken by: failing to close legal loopholes, failing to apply to the diverse bodies that now deliver public services, failing to strengthen enforcement powers to fix practice failures and failing to address longstanding issues such as increasing pro-active publication to boost trust and accountability.
The JRF is persuaded that the aged legislation needs reformed to strengthen rights and enforce duties to boost transparency and accountability in Scotland. JRF supports Katy Clark MSP’s route map of comprehensive reform of FoISA as evidenced in the consultation document.
Our full response is attached.