2004 No. 203 (C. 14)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (Commencement No. 3) Order 2004

Made
The Scottish Ministers in exercise of the powers conferred by section 75(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act1, hereby make the following Order:

Citation1.

This Order may be cited as the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (Commencement No. 3) Order 2004.

Interpretation2.

In this Order “the Act” shall mean the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Commencement3.

(1)

The provisions of the Act listed in column 1 of the Schedule to this Order and whose subject matter is specified in column 2 of that Schedule shall, insofar as they are not already in force come into force on 30th April 2004 but where a particular purpose is also specified in column 3 of that Schedule, that provision shall come into force on its appointed day only for that purpose.

(2)

The remaining provisions of the Act shall, insofar as they are not already in force, come into force on 1st January 2005.

TAVISH SCOTT
A member of the Scottish Executive

St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh

SCHEDULE

Article 3

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Provision of the Act

Subject matter

Purpose

Section 12

Excessive cost of compliance

Only for the purpose of the making of regulations by the Scottish Ministers under section 9(4) of the Act

Section 44

Recommendations as to good practice

Section 46

Laying of reports

Section 50

Information notices

For all remaining purposes

Section 51

Enforcement notices

For all remaining purposes

Section 53

Failure to comply with notice

For all remaining purposes

Section 54

Powers of entry and inspection

For all remaining purposes

Section 74

Giving of notice, etc.

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force the remaining provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (“the Act”). Certain provisions have already been brought into force by section 75(1) of the Act and by two earlier commencement orders (S.S.I. 2002/437 and 2003/477).

Article 3(1) of this Order commences on 30th April 2004–

(a)

section 12 of the Act, but only for the purpose of facilitating the making of regulations under section 9(4);

(b)

section 44, to enable practice recommendations to be made where publication schemes are not complied with by public authorities;

(c)

section 46, to enable the Scottish Information Commissioner to produce his first annual report;

(d)

Sections 50, 51, 53 and 54 for all remaining purposes insofar as they are not already in force; and

(e)

section 74, to enable practice recommendations or enforcement notices to be served in connection with publication schemes.

Article 3(2) of this Order commences all remaining provisions of the Act for all remaining purposes.

(This note is not part of the Order)

Provision of the Act

Date of Commencement

S.S.I.No.

Sections 3(1), 4, 5, 6, 7, 24

30.09.02

2002/437

Sections 42, 43, 45

30.09.02

2002/437

Sections 60, 61, 62, 64

30.09.02

2002/437

Sections 70(1) and (2), 71, 73

30.09.02

2002/437

Schedules 1 and 2

30.09.02

2002/437

Sections 55, 56, 63, 66 and 68

31.10.03

2003/477

Section 9 (but only for the purpose of the making of regulations by the Scottish Ministers under section 9(4)

31.10.03

2003/477

Section 23 (except that the duties on public authorities imposed by sections 23(1) to 23(4) shall not apply to those public authorities listed in parts 4 and 5 of Schedule 1 until 1st December 2003 and to those public authorities listed in part 7 of Schedule 1 until 1st March 2004

31.10.03

2003/477

Sections 50, 51, 53 and 54 (but only for the purpose of the processing of publication schemes under section 23)

31.10.03

2003/477