Part 1

Access to information held by Scottish public authorities

Review of refusal, etc.

Review by Scottish public authority
21
1
Subject to subsection (2), a Scottish public authority receiving a requirement for review must (unless that requirement is withdrawn or is as mentioned in subsection (8)) comply promptly; and in any event by not later than the twentieth working day after receipt by it of the requirement.
2
If—
a
the authority is the Keeper of the Records of Scotland; and
b
a different authority is, by virtue of section 22(4), to review a decision to which the requirement relates,
subsection (1) applies with the substitution, for the reference to the twentieth working day, of a reference to the thirtieth working day.
3
A requirement for review may be withdrawn by the applicant who made it, by notice in writing to the authority, at any time before the authority makes its decision on the requirement.
4
The authority may, as respects the request for information to which the requirement relates—
a
confirm a decision complained of, with or without such modifications as it considers appropriate;
b
substitute for any such decision a different decision; or
c
reach a decision, where the complaint is that no decision had been reached.
5
Within the time allowed by subsection (1) for complying with the requirement for review, the authority must give the applicant notice in writing of what it has done under subsection (4) and a statement of its reasons for so doing.
6
The Scottish Ministers may by regulations provide that subsections (1) and (5) and section 47(4)(b) are to have effect as if the reference in subsection (1) to the twentieth (or as the case may be the thirtieth) working day were a reference to such other working day as is specified in (or determined in accordance with) the regulations.
7
Regulations under subsection (6) may—
a
prescribe different days in relation to different cases; and
b
confer a discretion on the Scottish Information Commissioner.
8
Subsection (1) does not oblige a Scottish public authority to comply with a requirement for review if—
a
the requirement is vexatious; or
b
the request for information to which the requirement for review relates was one with which, by virtue of section 14, the authority was not obliged to comply.
9
Where the authority considers that paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (8) applies, it must give the applicant who made the requirement for review notice in writing, within the time allowed by subsection (1) for complying with that requirement, that it so claims.
10
A notice under subsection (5) or (9) must contain particulars about the rights of application to the Commissioner and of appeal conferred by sections 47(1) and 56.
S. 21(1) modified (1.12.2016) by The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (Time for Compliance) Regulations 2016 (S.S.I. 2016/346), regs. 1, 2(2) (with reg. 2(1))