Freedom of Information
|
Publication Scheme 1.Introduction 1.2 Under Section 23 of the Act, VisitScotland must adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the information we routinely make publicly available. Our scheme has to be approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner, who is responsible for the enforcement of the Act. In addition, we have to review the scheme from time to time. In adopting (or reviewing) our publication scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interest in:
2. Purpose of this Publication Scheme 2.2 Our publication scheme will:
2.3 The publication scheme is not intended to be a complete list of all the information we hold. From 1 January 2005, you can use the Act to ask to see other information that is not listed in the publication scheme. 3.About VisitScotland 3.2 Our role at VisitScotland is to provide leadership, direction and support to the tourism industry, with the ultimate goal of generating jobs and wealth. We do so primarily by marketing Scotland both at home and overseas, but also by providing the industry with routes to market, offering the industry guidance and support to improve quality and service and promoting a greater understanding of the industry. Our aim is to make Scotland a must-visit, must-return destination where visitors’ needs come first and tourism makes a vital contribution to economic growth. Our ambition is to drive the value of tourism to the Scottish economy from £4.5 billion to £6 billion in the next decade. 3.3 We champion socially, environmentally and culturally sustainable tourism and work closely as advisor to the Scottish Executive delivering its tourism policy. In line with the Scottish Executive’s Smart, Successful Scotland, the promotion of Scotland abroad and the Fresh Talent Initiative we believe that Scotland is not only the best place in the world to visit but also to live, work and play. 3.4 In 2003, EventScotland was established as a joint venture between VisitScotland and the Scottish Executive. Its role is to make Scotland one of the world’s foremost event destinations by 2015. This publication scheme also covers information held by EventScotland. 4.Formulating the Scheme
4.2 This publication scheme was drafted in full consultation with the VisitScotland Management Team and Board. 5.Responsibility for the Publication Scheme VisitScotland This is the address to which any documents or notices should be sent. 5.2 The senior manager responsible for maintaining this scheme is: Ken Neilson Telephone: 0131 472 2402 5.3 Our corporate website is: www.visitscotland.org EventScotland's corporate website is: www.eventscotland.org All of our published information is available either through our corporate website or in the form of conventional paper documents. 5.4 The person responsible for maintaining this Scheme on a day to day basis is: Lynne Raeside Telephone: 0131 472 2216 6.Exemptions 6.2 VisitScotland's aim is to be as open as possible. However, information may be withheld from any of the classes of information listed below where we consider that the disclosure may fall within one of the exemptions contained in the Act. For example, we may withhold information if its disclosure would breach the law of confidentiality or seriously prejudice the commercial interests of any person or organisation. We will also withhold information which is personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998. 6.3 Where we consider information to be exempt, we will withhold that information and indicate why it is being withheld. Even where an exemption exists, it may be possible to provide copies with the exempted information edited out. 6.4 If you wish to complain about information which is being withheld from you, please read the “complaints” section below (section 11). 7.Archiving Policy 8.Copyright 8.2 Some material we include in our scheme may be the copyright of a third party. Our rights to hold and use such material do not extend to others. You must obtain authorisation from the copyright holder(s) concerned if you wish to copy or reproduce such material.
9.Accessing Information Under the Publication Scheme 9.2 By email: if the information you request is not available on the website, but is listed in our publication scheme, we will send it to you by email, wherever practicable. When requesting information, please include full contact details, including name, address and a telephone number so that we can telephone to clarify details, if necessary. 9.3 By phone: information can be requested over the telephone. Please provide full contact details, including name, address and a telephone number, so that we can telephone to clarify any details, if necessary. 9.4 By post: all information is also available in a paper copy form. When requesting information, please include the following details: your name and address, the information or documents you want to see and any fee applicable (please see section 10 below). Please include a telephone number so that we can telephone to clarify details, if necessary. 9.5 Personal visits: for some classes of information, you will need to make an appointment to view the information. 9.6 Requests for information should be submitted by post, by telephone, in person or by email to: Lee McRonald Telephone: 0131 472 2215 Similarly, if you have any difficulty determining the information you want to see, please contact Lee McRonald, Corporate Affairs Executive (details above), who will be happy to help. 10.Charging Policy 10.2 Access to all other information listed in the scheme is free. However, where the cost of providing information accrues to more than £100 (taking into account both staff time and associated direct and indirect costs) a charge may be made for any sum over and above £100. Staff time will be charged on the basis of an hourly rate of pay. Photocopying charges will be based on a charge of 25p per copy page. 10.3 If, over a 12 month period, an individual or organisation makes requests for information which total over £500 cumulatively, a charge may be made, using the same basis as outlined above. 10.4 Charges will be made at the discretion of VisitScotland. 10.5 We will not make any charge for providing information stored and delivered via our internet site or via email. There may be a charge to cover the cost of providing information on disc or CD. 10.6 There is no charge for inspecting documents within VisitScotland's offices. There may, however, be a charge for providing you with photocopies of the document: where the cost of photocopying accrues to more than £100, a charge of 25p per copy page for each additional page will be made for information provided in hard copy. 11.Complaints Lynne Raeside Telephone: 0131 472 2216 11.2 If you are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Scottish Information Commissioner who oversees the Act and whose contact details are below. From 1 January 2005, when the general right of access comes into force, there will be a formal appeal mechanism when information is withheld. Further details on this will be available on the Commissioner’s website at www.itspublicknowledge.info before this date. The contact details for the Commissioner are as follows: Kevin Dunion Telephone: 01334 464610 12.Feedback Lynne Raeside Telephone: 0131 472 2216 |