Part 1

Access to information held by Scottish public authorities

Right to information

Reports on section 5 power
7A
1
In accordance with this section, the Scottish Ministers must lay before the Parliament reports about the exercise of the section 5 power.
2
The first report is to be laid on or before 31 October 2015.
3
Each subsequent report is to be laid no later than 2 years after the date on which the previous report is laid.
4
A report must—
a
state whether the section 5 power has been exercised during the reporting period, and
b
as the case may be—
i
explain how the power has been exercised during the reporting period (and why), or
ii
give the reason for leaving the power unexercised during the reporting period.
5
A report may—
a
summarise any response to a consultation carried out during the reporting period as regards the exercise of the section 5 power,
b
indicate any intention to exercise the power in the future,
c
include such additional information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.
6
In this section—
- “
reporting period
” means—
  1. in the case of the first report, period of time from the date on which section 1 of the Freedom of Information (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2013 comes into force until the date on which the first report is laid,
  2. in the case of a subsequent report, period of time from the date on which the previous report is laid until the date on which the subsequent report is laid,
- “
section 5 power
” means order-making power conferred by section 5(1).
S. 7A inserted (31.5.2013) by Freedom of Information (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2013 (asp 2), ss. 1(2), 7; S.S.I. 2013/136, art. 2