Decision 168/2024: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on-road appliances – failure to respond
Authority: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Case Ref: 202400853
Summary
The Applicant asked the Authority for information about any limitations that apply to SFRS on-road appliances (for a specific region) in relation to specific factors such as minimum ground clearance, minimum height clearance, etc. This decision finds that the Authority failed to respond to the request and requirement for review within the timescales allowed by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs).
Background
1. The Applicant made an information request to the Authority on 17 April 2024.
2. Although the Authority acknowledged receipt of the request on 18 April 2024, it did not respond to the information request.
3. On 17 May 2024, the Applicant wrote to the Authority requiring a review in respect of its failure to respond.
4. The Applicant did not receive a response to his requirement for review.
5. The Applicant wrote to the Commissioner on 20 June 2024, stating that he was dissatisfied with the Authority’s failure to respond and applying to the Commissioner for a decision in terms of section 47(1) of FOISA. The enforcement provisions of FOISA apply to the enforcement of the EIRs, subject to specified modifications – see regulation 17.
6. The Commissioner determined that the application complied with section 47(2) of FOISA and that he had the power to carry out an investigation.
Investigation
7. Section 49(3)(a) of FOISA requires the Commissioner to notify public authorities of an application and to give them an opportunity to comment. The Commissioner did this on 24 June and 10 July 2024.
8. The Commissioner received submissions from the Authority. These submissions are considered below.
9. It is apparent from the terms of the request that at least some of the information caught by it will be environmental information as defined by regulation 2(1) of the EIRs. In Decision 218/2007, the Commissioner confirmed at paragraph 51 that where environmental information is concerned, there are two separate statutory frameworks for access to that information and, in terms of the legislation, an authority is required to consider the request under both FOISA and EIRs.
10. The Authority acknowledged that it had failed to respond to the Applicant’s request and requirement for review within the timescales allowed. It explained that its Information Governance Team is a very small team currently dealing with a high volume of information requests. The Authority responded to the Applicant on 26 June 2024 and the Commissioner was provided with a copy of its response.
11. Section 10(1) of FOISA gives Scottish public authorities a maximum of 20 working days following the date of receipt of the request to comply with a request for information. This is subject to qualifications which are not relevant in this case. The same timescale is laid down by regulation 5(2)(a) of the EIRs.
12. It is a matter of fact that the Authority did not provide a response to the Applicant’s request for information within 20 working days, so the Commissioner finds that it failed to comply with section 10(1) of FOISA and regulation 5(2)(a) of the EIRs.
13. Section 21(1) of FOISA gives Scottish public authorities a maximum of 20 working days following the date of receipt of the requirement to comply with a requirement for review. Again, this is subject to qualifications which are not relevant in this case. The same timescale is laid down by regulation 16(4) of the EIRs.
14. It is a matter of fact that the Authority did not provide a response to the Applicant’s requirement for review within 20 working days, so the Commissioner finds that it failed to comply with section 21(1) of FOISA and regulation 16(4) of the EIRs.
15. The Authority responded to the Applicant’s requirement for review on 26 June 2024, so the Commissioner does not require it to take any further action in relation to the Applicant’s application.
16. The Commissioner notes that the Authority apologised to the Applicant for its failure to comply.
Decision
The Commissioner finds that the Authority failed to comply with Part 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and with the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs) in dealing with the information request made by the Applicant. In particular, the Authority failed to respond to the Applicant’s request for information and requirement for review within the timescales laid down by sections 10(1) and 21(1) of FOISA and regulations 5(2) and 16(4) of the EIRs. Given that the Authority has now responded to the Applicant’s requirement for review, the Commissioner does not require the Authority to take any action.
Appeal
Should either the Applicant or the Authority wish to appeal against this decision, they have the right to appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law only. Any such appeal must be made within 42 days after the date of intimation of this decision.
Colin MacFadyen
Freedom of Information Officer
14 August 2024
