30/01/2008

Good news for the Scottish media - Scottish Information Commissioner, Kevin Dunion, has been reappointed for a further four years.

In his first five-year term, Dunion is considered to have had an excellent track record of being sympathetic to Scottish media outlets seeking answers under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 - especially award-winning journalists such as Paul Hutcheon, political editor of the Sunday Herald.   

Said Dunion: “In my first five years in post I have relished the challenge of interpreting the freedom of information legislation and ensuring information was released. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to build on what has been achieved so far. We need to ensure that where public services are being delivered, all parts of our society are confident about their rights to access information. In that way Scotland will further enhance its progressive reputation.”

Dunion underwent  a rigorous reappointment process which included an independent assessment and a panel interview with the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB).  Proposing his reappointment, SPCB member, Mike Pringle MSP, said that the commissioner “had never shied away from difficult decisions”, pointing out: “Scotland's freedom of information legislation is held in high regard throughout the world, largely because of Kevin Dunion's
work.”

In his first five years, Kevin received more than 1500 appeals and issued over 550 decisions, including surgical mortality rates for all surgeons in Scotland; sex offender statistics; and an entire PFI/PPP contract.

Before becoming the Scottish Information Commissioner, he was a prominent campaigner for freedom of information and environmental justice.

* Send your Scottish media news and gossip, in the strictest confidence, to  info@allmediascotland.com