Freedom of Information

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 came into force on 1 January 2005. The Act aims to increase openness and accountability in government and across the public sector by ensuring that people have the right to access information held by Scottish public authorities. People will be able to see and questions how public bodies like the Moray Integration Joint Board work and how decisions are made.

The Act applies to practically all public bodies in Scotland, including local authorities, the NHS, integrated boards, colleges and universities, the Police, the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government. The Act also applies to companies wholly owned by a public authority. A full list of organisations affected is set out in the Act and further bodies will be added by Scottish Ministers in the future.

Some rights to access information already existed before the Act came into force, including the right to inspect and take copies of Agendas, Reports, background information and Minutes (except confidential or exempt items) of the Committees and Sub-Committees of the Board.
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These can be accessed on the Agendas and Minutes page.

What is an FOI request?

Any individual or organisation can make a request for information the Integration Joint Board holds, and will be entitled to receive it, provided no exemptions apply.

Requests must:

• be in writing or some other permanent form (e.g. e-mail or recorded message);
• state the applicant’s name and address;
• describe what information is required.

Making a request

You can make an FOI request by contacting:
The Chief Officer
Health & Social Care Moray
9C Southfield Drive
Elgin
IV30 6GR
info@moray.gov.uk

How your FOI request will be handled

Your request will be dealt with promptly and, usually, within 20 working days. There is no need to cite the Act 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 is no obligation for the Integration Joint Board to comply with an information request if:

• an exemption applies;
• the cost of doing so would exceed the amount set by the fees regulations;
• the information is not held by the Integration Joint Board.

In these instances, you will be notified why the Integration Joint Board cannot comply with your request.

What happens if information is not provided?

If you are dissatisfied with the Integration Joint Board’s handling of your request for information, you have the right to ask the Integration Joint Board to review the matter. If you remain dissatisfied, you can contact the Scottish Information Commissioner. The Commissioner is a fully independent public official, with a range of powers under the Act to ensure compliance. You can view the Commissioner’s website at www.itspublicknowledge.info for further information.

The Commissioner can be contacted at:

Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Tel: 01334 464610

FOI requests & responses

In keeping with the Moray Integration Joint Board’s commitment to open and transparent governance, freedom of information (FOI) requests and our responses to them will be published on the Moray Council website in the disclosure log when they are received. All personal information and references have been removed from the requests to protect the privacy of individuals making requests.

• Some requests relate to matters under the direction of the Moray Integration Joint Board (MIJB).
• Some requests relate to services managed and provided through Health & Social Care Moray )HSCM.

Requests and responses from 2021 to the present date can be found here