We are committed to being transparent and open about the information we hold.
Finding information
There are several ways you can find information and request details from us.
- Freedom of Information (FOI): You have the right to access official information held by PIRC, under The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Before you make an FOI request, please check that the information you would like is not already available.
- Publications scheme: The Act also requires us to produce and maintain a publication scheme. We call ours a Guide to Information. It lists all the information we make available to the public.
- Subject Access Request (SAR): You can also request a copy of the personal information we hold about you under The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as amended by the Data Protection Act 2018. This is called a Subject Access Request.
Freedom of Information (FOI)
If you cannot find the information you want, you can make a Freedom of Information request.
In some cases, we are entitled to withhold information when an appropriate exemption can be suitably applied.
If a document contains information that is exempt under Scotland’s Freedom of Information laws, we will remove or redact the information before publication and explain why.
We publish many of our responses to Freedom of Information requests in the publications section.
What is a publication scheme?
A publication scheme ensures we make information available without you having to ask for it. We call ours a Guide to Information.
A publication scheme is a guide to the information we publish, or intend to publish. This is not limited to printed information, but includes other formats, such as electronic.
We have adopted the Model Publication Scheme produced by the Scottish Information Commissioner. This scheme forms the basis of our Guide to Information.
If you wish to access information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, which is not available under our Publication Scheme, you must make your request in writing.
The purpose of our Guide to Information is to:
- Allow you to see what information is available and what is not available.
- State what charges may be applied for information requests.
- Explain how to 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.
Request your personal information
You have the right to request your own personal information under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as amended by the Data Protection Act 2018.
A request for your personal information is called a Subject Access Request.
This allows you to get a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
We take our responsibilities for data protection seriously. Our privacy notice explains how we collect and use personal information about you in accordance with data protection law.
To request your personal information, you will need to tell us:
- What information you need.
- The years you need the information for.
- The reason for the request.
We will also ask you to confirm your identity and aim to respond within one month of your request.
Please contact us to discuss your Subject Access Request.
Environmental information
If you would like information about how our policies and day-to-day operations relate to the environment, your request will be dealt with under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations.
Please contact us if you require environmental information.