When must a Scottish public authority answer a freedom of information request?

A public authority must respond promptly and ordinarily within 20 statutory working days after actual receipt. The qualifying Keeper branch uses 30 working days. Qualifying schools use the earlier of 20 statutory working school days and 60 statutory working days. A valid, duly paid fee interval is excluded.

Responsible actor. Scottish public authority receiving the valid request.

Identify the actual public body or company and statutory branch.

Use the actual receipt of the valid request or required clarification.

Establish a valid FOISA request, actual receipt or required clarification, the authority branch and any valid fees notice. Section9 requires a timely notice and payment within three months beginning with its date. An unpaid fee, late notice, late payment, missing corresponding payment date or unconfirmed school calendar requires separate review. The EIRs use a separate procedure.

Establish the actual statutory event, exact branch, current applicable regime and completion route. Only the encoded ordinary periods and fully supplied supported qualifications are calculated.

1. Exclude the receipt day. Section73 excludes Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Day and Scottish bank holidays. For a qualifying school, regulation2 also disregards non-school working days in the20-day school count. Compare that count with60 statutory working days. Section10(3) excludes both endpoints of a duly paid fee interval.
2. A local office holiday alone does not change section73. A qualifying school must supply every relevant day it is not ordinarily open to pupils for their school education. The published Scottish bank-holiday table covers2024 through2028, including June15,2026.
3. Complete the actual statutory act within the applicable period.

Exclude the receipt day. Section 73 excludes Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Day and Scottish bank holidays. For a qualifying school, regulation 2 also disregards non-school working days in the 20-day school count. Compare that count with 60 statutory working days. Section 10(3) excludes both endpoints of a duly paid fee interval.

A local office holiday alone does not change section 73. A qualifying school must supply every relevant day it is not ordinarily open to pupils for their school education. The published Scottish bank-holiday table covers 2024 through 2028, including June 15,2026.

Fictitious example

Fictitious facts. The actual legal event, branch, unaltered period and completion route are established.

Fictitious established facts. These examples do not establish eligibility, effective service, relief or a direction.

Source condition 1

This is a valid FOISA request to a Scottish public authority. The EIRs do not govern this calculation.

Source condition 2

The selected authority and receipt branch apply. Any clarification is required under section 1(3). Keeper and school branches meet their exact statutory conditions.

Source condition 3

I established the actual receipt and any valid, timely fees notice and duly received payment. No other prescribed variation applies.

Source condition 4

The current statutory regime applies. The duty to respond promptly remains, even before the calculated latest date.

• Establish the actual statutory event, exact branch, current applicable regime and completion route. Only the encoded ordinary periods and fully supplied supported qualifications are calculated.
• The related procedures have their own actor, event and period. A court appeal, authority review or other complaint does not automatically replace this statutory event.

• This is a valid FOISA request to a Scottish public authority. The EIRs do not govern this calculation.
• The selected authority and receipt branch apply. Any clarification is required under section 1(3). Keeper and school branches meet their exact statutory conditions.
• I established the actual receipt and any valid, timely fees notice and duly received payment. No other prescribed variation applies.
• The current statutory regime applies. The duty to respond promptly remains, even before the calculated latest date.
• Check the actual statutory completion or delivery route and applicable cutoff.
• Establish a valid FOISA request, actual receipt or required clarification, the authority branch and any valid fees notice. Section 9 requires a timely notice and payment within three months beginning with its date. An unpaid fee, late notice, late payment, missing corresponding payment date or unconfirmed school calendar requires separate review. The EIRs use a separate procedure.