Information Polity

Taylor, John A.

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/ip-2011-0242

Taylor, John A.;

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-2011-0242

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-2011-0240

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/ip-2011-0240

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/ip-2011-0233

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-2011-0233

Spence, Kate ; Dinan, William

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-2011-0228

The devolved political settlement in Scotland has been profoundly shaped by the principles of openness, accountability and transparency and by the important role played by Scottish civic society in campaigning for the new Scottish Parliament. The coming into force of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act (FOISA) in January 2005 was intended to help secure the openness of the new Scottish polity. This paper analyses the drivers of information management policies and practices in Scottish public life and assesses some of the complex interrelationships between civil society and the state that have influenced how organizations in the Scottish voluntary have – and have not – availed of the provisions of FOISA. Based on original and extensive survey, interview, documentary and archival research this paper assesses some of the ways in which political culture post-devolution has impacted on how the `third sector' has engaged with FOI. The research finds that the particularity of devolved governance and funding relationships between public and voluntary sectors plays a key role in determining FOI uptake and reflects on what this means for wider public accountability and transparency.

Spence, Kate; Dinan, William

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/ip-2011-0228

The devolved political settlement in Scotland has been profoundly shaped by the principles of openness, accountability and transparency and by the important role played by Scottish civic society in campaigning for the new Scottish Parliament. The coming into force of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act (FOISA) in January 2005 was intended to help secure the openness of the new Scottish polity. This paper analyses the drivers of information management policies and practices in Scottish public life and assesses some of the complex interrelationships between civil society and the state that have influenced how organizations in the Scottish voluntary have – and have not – availed of the provisions of FOISA. Based on original and extensive survey, interview, documentary and archival research this paper assesses some of the ways in which political culture post-devolution has impacted on how the `third sector' has engaged with FOI. The research finds that the particularity of devolved governance and funding relationships between public and voluntary sectors plays a key role in determining FOI uptake and reflects on what this means for wider public accountability and transparency.

Shepherd, Elizabeth ; Stevenson, Alice ; Flinn, Andrew

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-2011-0229

Research into the impact of the UK Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 on records management services in public authorities, especially in local government was carried out by the Department of Information Studies at UCL in 2008–2009, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The project considered the inter-relationship between records management and freedom of information, and examined the co-operation and partnerships needed in order to maximise the benefits of freedom of information. The first phase of the research was an extensive literature review, focusing on freedom of information and records management in the UK. This was followed by qualitative research using semi-structured interviews to gather rich data from council officials responsible for the provision of records management, information governance and freedom of information functions, complemented by interviews with requestors, to provide an outsider's perspective. The article reports on the position of records management in local government prior to 2000s drawing on the literature, outlines the research findings on FOI and records management policy and practice in local government, and concludes by considering the perspective of requestors and users of the FOIA as engaged citizens.

Shepherd, Elizabeth; Stevenson, Alice; Flinn, Andrew

2011 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/ip-2011-0229

Research into the impact of the UK Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 on records management services in public authorities, especially in local government was carried out by the Department of Information Studies at UCL in 2008–2009, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The project considered the inter-relationship between records management and freedom of information, and examined the co-operation and partnerships needed in order to maximise the benefits of freedom of information. The first phase of the research was an extensive literature review, focusing on freedom of information and records management in the UK. This was followed by qualitative research using semi-structured interviews to gather rich data from council officials responsible for the provision of records management, information governance and freedom of information functions, complemented by interviews with requestors, to provide an outsider's perspective. The article reports on the position of records management in local government prior to 2000s drawing on the literature, outlines the research findings on FOI and records management policy and practice in local government, and concludes by considering the perspective of requestors and users of the FOIA as engaged citizens.