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Decision 074/2026

Decision 074/2026:  Records relating to specified internal adaptations – failure to respond


Authority:  West Lothian Council
Case Ref:  202502091
 

Summary

The Applicant asked the Authority for all recorded information regarding a building warrant and specified internal adaptations relating to a named individual. This decision finds that the Authority failed to respond to the request within the timescale allowed by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs).  The decision also finds that the Authority failed to comply with the Applicant’s requirement for review within the timescale set down by FOISA and the EIRs.

Background

  1. The Applicant made an information request to the Authority on 3 September 2025. 
  2. The Authority did not respond to the request.
  3. On 15 October 2025, the Applicant wrote to the Authority requiring a review in respect of its failure to respond.
  4. The Applicant did not receive a response to his requirement for review.
  5. The Applicant wrote to the Commissioner on 15 November 2025, stating that he was dissatisfied with the Authority’s failure to respond and applying to the Commissioner for a decision in terms of section 47(1) of FOISA.  The enforcement provisions of FOISA apply to the enforcement of the EIRs, subject to specified modifications – see regulation 17. 
  6. The Commissioner determined that the application complied with section 47(2) of FOISA and that he had the power to carry out an investigation. 

Investigation

  1. Section 49(3)(a) of FOISA requires the Commissioner to notify public authorities of an application and to give them an opportunity to comment.  The Commissioner did this on 2 April 2026. 
  2. The Commissioner received submissions from the Authority.  These submissions are considered below.
  3. The Authority acknowledged that there had been a failure to identify and respond to the Applicant’s requirement for review.  The Authority confirmed that it had still not issued a review outcome to the Applicant, but it intended to do so.
  4. The Authority noted that it was likely that a significant amount of information would need to be considered to establish the information captured by the Applicant’s request.
  5. It is apparent from the terms of the request that at least some of the information caught by it will be environmental information as defined by regulation 2(1) of the EIRs.  In Decision 218/2007 Transport Scotland,  the Commissioner confirmed at paragraph 51 that where environmental information is concerned, there are two separate statutory frameworks for access to that information and, in terms of the legislation, an authority is required to consider the request under both FOISA and EIRs.
  6. Section 10(1) of FOISA gives Scottish public authorities a maximum of 20 working days following the date of receipt of the request to comply with a request for information.  This is subject to qualifications which are not relevant in this case.  The same timescale is laid down by regulation 5(2)(a) of the EIRs.
  7. It is a matter of fact that the Authority did not provide a response to the Applicant’s request for information within 20 working days, so the Commissioner finds that it failed to comply with section 10(1) of FOISA and regulation 5(2)(a) of the EIRs.
  8. Section 21(1) of FOISA gives Scottish public authorities a maximum of 20 working days following the date of receipt of the requirement to comply with a requirement for review.  Again, this is subject to qualifications which are not relevant in this case.  The same timescale is laid down by regulation 16(4) of the EIRs.
  9. It is a matter of fact that the Authority did not provide a response to the Applicant’s requirement for review within 20 working days, so the Commissioner finds that it failed to comply with section 21(1) of FOISA and regulation 16(4) of the EIRs.
  10. The remainder of section 21 and regulation 16 set out the requirements to be followed by a Scottish public authority in carrying out a review.  As no review has been carried out in this case, the Commissioner finds that the Authority failed to discharge these requirements: he now requires a review to be carried out in accordance with section 21/regulation 16.
  11. The Commissioner recommends that the Authority considers whether it would be appropriate to apologise to the Applicant for its failure to comply.

Decision 

The Commissioner finds that the Authority failed to comply with Part 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and with the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs) in dealing with the information request made by the Applicant.  In particular, the Authority failed to respond to the Applicant’s request for information and requirement for review within the timescales laid down by sections 10(1) and 21(1) of FOISA and regulations 5(2) and 16(4) of the EIRs.

The Commissioner requires the Authority to carry out a review and issue the outcome to the Applicant, by 8 June 2026.

Appeal

Should either the Applicant or the Authority wish to appeal against this decision, they have the right to appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law only.  Any such appeal must be made within 42 days after the date of intimation of this decision.

Enforcement

If the Authority fails to comply with this decision, the Commissioner has the right to certify to the Court of Session that the Authority has failed to comply.  The Court has the right to inquire into the matter and may deal with the Authority as if it had committed a contempt of court.

 

Jennifer Ross

Deputy Head of Enforcement 


22 April 2026

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