The Civil Society Research Project

The Scottish Information Commissioner is supporting the University of Strathclyde to undertake a three-year research study, which aims to explore the extent to which campaign groups and voluntary organisations in Scotland and the UK make use of freedom of information (FOI) legislation.

The launch of the research follows evidence which suggests that the FOI right to information may not be being used to its full potential by Scotland's voluntary and campaign organisations, with only 4% of the appeals received in 2007 by the Commissioner coming from the sector.  This figure compares with 7% for politicians and 77% for members of the public.

The study, which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), will explore the reasons for the apparent low usage, while also mapping FOI-use within the sector and examining how FOI fits with wider organisational priorities.  It will be carried out over three years by Kate Spence, a doctoral researcher at the University of Strathclyde.

Ongoing updates and outputs from the research study will be posted below.   

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Initial research findings published 

The University of Strathclyde's initial findings from the 'Public Communication, Democracy and Citizenship: Assessing Civil Society Uptake of Freedom of Information' research study have now been published, in a research report entitled 'Volunteering Information?  The Use of Civil Society Laws by the Third Sector in Scotland'.  The report sets out the findings from the first phase quantitative study.  These findings will inform the development of the full research project as it progresses.

Initial findings emerging from the University of Strathclyde's study include:

• 78% of voluntary sector respondents are aware of FOI.
• Only 44% of respondents were confident they would receive the information they asked for if they made an FOI request.
• 51% of respondents stated that they had made an information request.
• 67% of those who had made a request received all the information they sought, first time.
• 28% of respondents disagreed that public authorities treat all FOI requests equally, regardless of who is requesting the information.
• 49% of respondents would be discouraged from requesting information under FOI because of a fear that it might harm working or funding relationships.
• 55% of those who had a request refused reported that they were not told of their right to appeal the decision, despite there being a statutory obligation to do so.
• 26% of respondents who did appeal, however, report that they were not told of their subsequent right of appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.
• 84% of the organisations that responded were funded, either wholly or in part, by public authorities.

The full 'first phase' research report is available to download below.

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'Public Communication, Democracy and Citizenship: Assessing Civil Society Uptake of Freedom of Information'

Research Outputs

Format	Details	Link	Size
	Volunteering Information?  The use of Freedom of Information laws by the Third Sector in Scotland - Survey Findings - Quantitative Research Report	Click to Download	489kb
	Volunteering Information?  The use of Freedom of Information laws by the Third Sector in Scotland - Appended Questionnaire	Click to Download	112kb
	Conference Report from Research launch event 'Civil Society and Freedom of Information - A Missed Opportunity?', held at the University of Strathclyde on 30 September 2008.	Click to Download	23kb
	'Public Communication, Democracy and Citizenship: Assessing Civil Society Uptake of Freedom of Information' - Project Proposal Summary	Click to Download	136kb

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