The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the Act) requires Scottish public authorities to produce and maintain a publication scheme. Authorities are under a legal obligation to:
- publish the classes of information that they make routinely available
- tell the public how to access the information and what it might cost.
Citizens Advice Scotland has adopted the Model Publication Scheme 2018 produced by the Scottish Information Commissioner.
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 give everyone the right to request information held by any Scottish public authority.
Citizens Advice Scotland, insofar as it undertakes duties and powers relating to the following services is subject to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations:
- the Extra Help Unit
The purpose of this guide to information is to:
- allow you to see what information is available (and what is not available) in relation to each class
- state what charges may be applied
- explain how you can find the information easily
- provide contact details for enquiries and to get help with accessing the information
- explain how to request information we hold that has not been published.
Note: Citizens Advice Scotland has adopted the Single Model Publication Scheme 2018 developed by the Scottish Information Commissioner. Our guide to information has been produced as part of the process of adopting the Single Model Publication Scheme.
Availability and formats
The information we publish through the model scheme is, wherever possible, available on our website. We offer alternative arrangements for people who do not want to, or cannot, access the information online or by inspection at our premises. For example, we can usually arrange to send information to you in paper copy (although there may be a charge for this).
Exempt information
We will publish the information we hold that falls within the classes of information below. If a document contains information that is exempt under Scotland’s freedom of information laws (for example sensitive personal information or a trade secret), we may remove or redact the information before publication but we will explain why.
Copyright
Where Citizens Advice Scotland holds the copyright in its published information, the information may be copied or reproduced without formal permission, provided that:
- it is copied or reproduced accurately
- it is not used in a misleading context, and
- the source of the material is identified
Where Citizens Advice Scotland does not hold the copyright in information we publish, we will make this clear.
Charges
There is no charge to view information on our website or at our premises.
We may charge for providing information to you e.g. photocopying and postage, but we will charge you no more than it actually costs us to do so. We will always tell you what the cost is before providing the information to you.
Contact us
You can contact us for assistance with any aspect of this publication scheme:
Citizens Advice Scotland
Broadside
Powderhall Road
Edinburgh
EH7 4GB
0131 550 1000
We will also be pleased to advise you how to ask for information that we do not publish, or how to complain if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of this publication scheme.
The classes of information that we publish
We publish information that we hold within the following classes. Once information is published under a class we will continue to make it available for the current and previous two financial years.
Where information has been updated or superseded, only the current version will be available. If you would like to see previous versions, you may make a request to us for that information.
CLASS 1: About Citizens Advice Scotland
Information about Citizens Advice Scotland, who we are, where to find us, how to contact us, how we are managed and our external relations
- General information about Citizens Advice Scotland
- Information on how to contact CAS and the location of our offices and key staff contacts
If you would like information over and above what is provided in the About us section of our website in relation to our Consumer Futures, Extra Help Unit or Citizens Advice Consumer Service work then please make a request.
CLASS 2: How we deliver our functions and services
Information about our work, our strategy and policies for delivering functions and services and information for our service users can be found in the document 'Citizens Advice Scotland: Strategic Framework 2018 - 2023'. This can be downloaded using the link at the bottom of this page.
We do not currently publish more detailed information on our website. If you would like information on how we deliver our functions and services in relation to the Extra Help Unit please make a request.
CLASS 3: How we take decisions and what we have decided
Information about the decisions we take, how we make decisions and how we involve others.
- Information about our governance (including details of our board of directors)
- In forming some of our work plans we consult with others. Details can be found in the Publications (publication type: corporate) section of our website.
If you would like information over and above what is provided in the our governance and our Publications (publication type: corporate) sections of our website on how CAS makes decisions and what it has decided in relation to the Extra Help Unit please make a request.
CLASS 4: What we spend and how we spend it
Information about our strategy for, and management of, financial resources (in sufficient detail to explain how we plan to spend public money and what has actually been spent.
- Some information on what we spend and how we spend it is available in our annual reports. These can be found in the Publications (publication type: corporate) section of our website.
We do not currently publish more detailed information on our website. If you would like information on what we spend and how we spend it in in relation to the Extra Help Unit please make a request.
CLASS 5: How we manage our human, physical and information resources
Information about how we manage the human, physical and information resources of Citizens Advice Scotland.
We do not currently publish these policies on our website. If you would like information on how we manage human, physical and information resources in in relation to the Extra Help Unit please make a request.
CLASS 6: How we procure good and services from external providers
Information about how we procure goods and services, and our contracts with external providers
We do not currently publish procurement policies on our website. If you would like information on CAS procurement policies in relation to the Extra Help Unit please make a request.
CLASS 7: How we are performing
Information about how we perform as an organisation, and how well we deliver our functions and services
- Annual reports and other publications related to our performance can be found in the Publications (publication type: corporate) section of our website.
If you would like information over and above what is provided in our Publications (publication type: corporate) section on how CAS is performing in relation to our the Extra Help Unit please make a request.
CLASS 8: Our commercial publications
Information packaged and made available for sale on a commercial basis and sold at market value through a retail outlet e.g. bookshop, museum or research journal.
Citizens Advice Scotland does not hold or publish any information under this class.
