www.centrefoi.org.uk

Proactive publication seminar

Proactive publishing: a way to manage information requests? -Claire Turnbull, Scottish Parliament

Proactive publication: some examples – Sarah Hutchison, Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner

FOI Practitioners’ Conference, 27 June 2013

Proactive publishing – a way to Proactive publishing – a way to manage information requests? manage information requests?

Proactive publication and FOIProactive publication and FOI

We now publish even more information than before Replied to hundreds of individual FOI requests Looking for trends FOI processes and training Learned things along the way

Proactive publishing examples and Proactive publishing examples and backgroundbackground

Quarterly MSP expenses Management plans and SPCB papers Supplier contracts database Management plans/ papers/reports/minutes MSP biographies/downloadable photos Quarterly catering budgets

Reasons for proactive publishing Reasons for proactive publishing

We want you to know what we do High profile/reputation Public purse/ cost & efficiency Statutory reasons Cultural reasons Feedback Technical ease

Publishing RisksPublishing Risks

Vast amount of information Preferred formats Access New requirements/developments Updating

Publishing RisksPublishing Risks

Personal data Commercially sensitive information Copyright requirements – ours to publish? Of broad or personal interest? Could prompt more questions Consistency League tables

Benefits of proactive publishingBenefits of proactive publishing

Expectations/reputation Underpins what we do Economic Context is provided in our replies Can publish in own time No 20 day deadline An additional resource for requesters Could be published (whatdotheyknow)

Benefits of proactive publishingBenefits of proactive publishing

Efficient/small team Fewer individual requests/replies More positive input for us Answering questions before they are asked It’s about transparency

Lessons Learned…..Lessons Learned…..

Publish at the beginning……not at the end FOI requests can identify trends Publishing can reduce requests Third parties may publish Timing and sensitivities Managing expectations Digital environment

Next steps and open dataNext steps and open data

Digital environment - open data and datasets Mobile formats Open data working group

Any questions?Any questions?

On risks?

On benefits?

On lessons learned?

Disclosure LogDisclosure Log

Developed and running for several years Linked to database Contains many replies spanning wide range Organised by reference number and date Can be searched Second version more user friendly Feedback

Disclosure LogDisclosure Log

Located near publication scheme on website Additional internal/external resource Higher quality of replies? Must be consistent Previous examples to inform new replies

Disclosure Log ConsiderationsDisclosure Log Considerations

Where and how to publish What information to publish Costs and technical requirements Extracts or whole reply? All replies or only some? Might encourage more requests League tables Staff time to add details and publish Risks of errors

Disclosure Log ConsiderationsDisclosure Log Considerations

Keeping data up to date Additional work When to archive Responses out of date Personal data Copyright, ours to publish?

Disclosure Log ConsiderationsDisclosure Log Considerations

We determine when to publish Within 24 hours of answering Shows transparency Shows consistency An additional resource for requesters Internal resource Replies could be published anyway

Disclosure Log ConsiderationsDisclosure Log Considerations

It’s not a secret its published! Can answer all or part of new requests Can reduce time answering new requests Quality of responses

Disclosure Log ConsiderationsDisclosure Log Considerations

Technical requirements Additional processes Keep adding information regularly Must be kept up to date Hyperlinks must work Consistency Personal data removed

Proactive publication – some examples

Case study 1 – Menie Estate

How many applications to the Commissioner?

Case study 2 – Release of the Lockerbie bomber

How many applications to the Commissioner?

Case study 3 – Edinburgh property repairs

How many applications to the Commissioner?

How many requests to the Council?