Environmental Information
The Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 gives everyone the right to ask for environmental information held by Scottish Housing Associations.
The definition of environmental information is very broad and includes:
- the state of the elements of the environment, such as air and atmosphere, water, soil, land, landscape and natural sites);
- actors, such as substances, energy, noise, radiation or waste, including radioactive waste, emissions, discharges and other releases into the environment;
- reports on the implementation of environmental legislation;
- costs benefit and other economic analysis; and
- the state of human health and safety, including the contamination of the food chain, where relevant, conditions of human life, cultural sites and built structures.
The Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 are governed by the Scottish Information Commissioner, known as the OSIC.
Making a Request
We are required to actively publish information we hold that relates to the environment. To do this, we will publish such information in our Guide to Information, but information can also be provided upon request, either verbally, in writing or by completing our Information Request Form.
If we do not hold the information requested, but know of another public authority that does, we will let you know.
You can expect to receive a response from us within 20 working days, though we may ask you for clarification to help us locate the information you are interested in more easily. We may also extend the response time by an additional 20 working days if the enquiry is large or complex. We will let you know in good time if that is the case.
Charges
In responding to requests for information under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004, we are entitled to charge a reasonable amount towards making the information available. The costs for these requests are based on estimated costs of staff time to locate and retrieve information, plus any costs associated with making the information available to you.
Further information on charges is available within our Guide to Information.
Withholding Information
Whilst we aim to make as much information available to you as we can, in some cases there may be information that we cannot make available. If we withhold information, we will inform you of the reason why.
Reviews and Appeals
If you are unhappy with our decision, or with how we have handled your request, you can ask us to review our decision. If you do not agree with the outcome of the subsequent review, you can appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.