How to make an FOI request

Do you want to make a Freedom of Information request from our organisation? Here's what you need to know.

Anyone can make a request for information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, but it must be in a permanent format, for example a letter, email or a recording.

The enquirer must state their full name and provide a contact address or email address. To avoid any delay, you should give sufficient detail to identify the information you are requesting.

We already make a large amount of information available through our Publication Scheme and a guide to the information we publish, which can be found on this website.

Before requesting information, please look at the Publication Scheme and the guide to information we publish to find out whether the information is already available. Doing this could save you time because if the information has already been made available to the public in this way, we would normally refer you back to that source.

If you wish to make a request you can contact anyone within the organisation, but we would prefer if you send any request to this email address - InformationRequests@wheatley-group.com

We will acknowledge any detailed enquiry and give you an indication of when we will respond by.

How much does it cost to make an FOI request?
 

Regulations made by the Scottish Ministers govern the scale of fees which can be applied for providing information. Costs for providing published materials are set out in our Publication Scheme.

We have discretion in applying fees. You will be advised of any costs applicable and will be required to pay costs before the information is provided.

Different fees apply to requests for information governed by the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

We will advise you if we think these regulations apply to your request and advise you of the level of any fee.

Find out more about by clicking on the following link Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

How will my FOI request be handled?
 

Your request will be dealt with promptly and, usually, within 20 working days. There is no need to cite the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 or explain why information is being asked for. However, giving as much detail as you can may help us respond more fully to your request.

There's no obligation for us to comply with an information request if:

  • an exemption applies
  • if the cost of doing so would exceed the amount set by the fees regulations, or
  • if the information is not held by us.

In these instances, you will be notified why we cannot comply with your request or cannot comply with it in full.