Student Awards Agency service standards: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/17/02388
Date received: 17 October 2017
Date responded: 19 October 2017

Information requested

'A copy of your service standards (including response turnaround times for answering questions etc).

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have request because we do not hold it. SAAS do not have a service standards policy. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that SAAS does not hold the information you have requested

We do hold information on our website which provides some information on our delivery targets. This information can be found on the webpages under 'contact us' and 'about us'. However, please find below a list of our delivery targets:

Enquiries

• All general email or written enquiries to be dealt with within 28 calendar days of receipt
• Telephone enquiries – We aim to answer 85% of calls within 3 minutes
• Freedom of Information Requests within 20 working days of receipt
• Freedom of Information Appeals within 20 working days of receipt
• Subject Access Requests within 40 calendar days of receipt
• Data Protection Enquiries 21 calendar days of receipt.

Complaints

Stage 1 Complaint within 5 working days; if a decision cannot be made in this time we will contact the complainant to agree an extension of time.

Stage 2 Complaint

• Acknowledge receipt of complaint within 3 working days
• Full response within 20 working days, if the investigation will take longer we will contact the complainant to agree a revised time limit.

Appeals

• Stage 1 Appeal aim to reply within 10 working days of receipt. If this is not possible, we will make contact and advise when a response will be issued.

• Stage 2 Appeal within 10 working days of receipt. If this is not possible, we will make contact and advise when a response will be issued.

Applications

90% of all applications received will be processed within 21 calendar days of receipt. During peak periods we cannot guarantee this timescale and aim to process applications as soon as possible. We are recently dealing with application received in September and are on track to complete by the end of October.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses