Freedom of Information in Scotland is entering a pressure-test year. Reform proposals are live in Parliament. The question being asked is not only whether the law should change, but whether day-to-day FOI practice is keeping pace with how modern public services are delivered – through arms-length bodies, contracted provision and increasingly complex partnerships.
At the same time, FOI’s credibility depends on something very basic. Information has to exist, be searchable and be retrievable. High-profile scrutiny of records management – especially the governance of mobile messaging and mixed-device working – has sharpened expectations of the meaning of held information in digital workplaces.
There is also an additional and newer frontier which the public increasingly wants to understand. They want to know how decisions are shaped by automated tools, analytics and AI-adjacent systems – from triage and prioritisation to risk scoring and service targeting. FOI teams themselves are increasingly drawn into questions about model documentation, procurement, Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), auditability and explainability – often at speed and often with suppliers involved.
This conference is designed for FOI practitioners, information governance leads, policy teams, comms, legal advisers and senior leaders. In three sessions, the conference will focus on:
Topics to be discussed
Who should attend
This conference is intended for all those working in the FOI, data protection/management and information governance fields and is intended for both organisations and individuals. It is relevant to all organisations subject to FOI law and is for FOI officers and compliance practitioners, data professionals, data protection officers and also for those in executive and non-executive roles with a responsibilty for legal compliance, reputation management, corporate accountability or strategic leadership.
Examples of the types of individuals and organisations who have previously attended include Service Managers, Information Governance, Compliance and Regulatory Managers, Legal Advisers and Solicitors, Policy and Public Affairs Managers, Case Investigators, Data Protection Officers and Case Investigators. These come from across local government, non-departmental public bodies, housing associations, further and higher education, the third sector and industry bodies.
09:25 Chair's opening remarks
Session 1: Reform and reach – what is FOI going to look like next?
09:30 Keynote speaker: FOI in Scotland 2026 – reform, resilience and the right to know
09:45 Question and answer session
09:55 The FOI Reform (Scotland) Bill – what may change in practice and how to prepare
10:10 FOI beyond the core – outsourcing, arms-length delivery and the public service boundary
10:25 Question and answer session
10:40 Comfort break
Session 2: Defensible decisions – records, searches, exemptions and reviews
10:55 The impact of WhatsApp, Teams and personal devices on held information and FOI-proof recordkeeping
11:10 Hard calls under FOISA/EIRs – public interest, privilege, vexatiousness and review quality
11:25 Question and answer session
11:40 Comfort break
Session 3: The next frontier – AI transparency and environmental information at speed
11:55 AI transparency for FOI teams – procurement, documentation and explainability
12:10 Environmental Information Requests (EIRs), climate, infrastructure and proactive publication – faster disclosure without losing rigour
12:25 Question and answer session
12:40 Chair's closing remarks
This conference takes place online.
How to book
You can book to attend in 3 ways:
Conference fees
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Any individual who may have attended the event but, for whatever reason, is unable to do so on the day can request a full recording of the event. The delegate fee above will apply.
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If you wish to pay by card, please tick the appropriate box on the booking form and a member of our staff will contact you by telephone to take the payment. Alternatively you may call 0131 556 1500.
Terms and conditions
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