Guide to information published by the Scottish Government

Guide to information: charges for information available only through request

Non-environmental information

The Scottish Government does not charge anyone for making requests for, nor for providing, information under FOISA, but we will refuse to deal with a request where we estimate that it will cost more than £600 to locate, retrieve and provide the information.

Environmental information

The Scottish Government does not charge anyone for making requests for, nor for providing, environmental information under the EIRs, up to a limit of £600. Thereafter we may charge the full cost of providing the information.

In the event that we decide to charge for the full cost of a request under the EIRs costing over £600, we will issue you with notification of the charge and how it has been calculated. If you decide not to proceed with the request there will be no charge to you.

Charges are calculated on the basis of the actual cost to the authority of locating, retrieving and providing the environmental information.

Photocopying is charged at 10p per A4 sheet for black and white copying, 30p per A4 sheet for colour copying.

Postage is charged at actual rate for first class mail.

Staff time is calculated at actual cost per staff member hourly salary rate to a maximum of £15 per person per hour.