Explanatory Notes

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

2002 asp 13

28 May 2002

The Act – an Overview

Part 5 – Historical records

10.This Part defines certain exemptions which will cease to apply when information reaches a specified age. Records would cease to be exempt after certain specified periods, with the majority of the exemptions falling away after 30 years. For the purposes of this Part, records that are over 30 years old are described as “historical records”. A smaller number of exemptions fall away after 60 and 100 years, while the remainder remain to be considered in perpetuity. This Part also describes how the Scottish Ministers may amend the time periods.