Name: Celebrating CFoIS @40 and FoISA @20
Start: 2024-12-13T09:30:00+00:00
End: 2024-12-13T15:00:00+00:00
Location: Trades Hall of Glasgow

Conference to mark 40 yrs since the Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland was set up & 20 yrs since our 1st FoI Act was enforced.
About this Event

The conference is organised by the Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland and supported by the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner and FIVIUM The conference is open to supporters, stakeholders and the public.

The conference will reflect on achievements, learn from best practice and plan for the future of enforceable access to information rights in Scotland. The keynote address will be delivered by Helena Jäderblom who is President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Access Info Group which is one of the two monitoring bodies established by the Tromsø Convention. The Convention was the first binding international legal instrument to recognise everyone’s right to access official documents held by public authorities without discrimination and regardless of the requester's status or motives in seeking access. The Tromsø Convention has been ratified by 15 states but not the UK and entered into force on 1st December 2020.

The conference will be opened by Dr David Goldberg Chair of CFoIS with his reflections on our access to information journey and followed by Lord Wallace of Tankerness who served as Deputy First Minister of Scotland and steered the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill through the Scottish Parliament.

An assessment of the current state of enforcing FoI rights and duties will be delivered by David Hamilton, Scotland's current Scottish Information Commissioner, and hear from requestors about their experiences of accessing information.

After lunch, the focus is looking ahead and hearing from Katy Clark MSP about her plans for FoI reform and from those supporting legal reform at the Scottish Parliament.

Fee The delegate fee is £30 to cover costs. A small number of free tickets are reserved for civil society organisations which are run by volunteers. Contact info@cfois for more information.

CFoIS The Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland SCIO No SC051263. For further information go to CFoIS website Contact:[email protected] Follow: @CFoIScot