Access to Information
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 & Data Protection Act 1998
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 was introduced to give people access to information held by Scottish public authorities.
Under the Act, Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service is required to produce a Publication Scheme, which sets out:
- The classes of information we will publish
- The manner in which the information will be published
- Whether the information is free of charge or if payment is required
Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service's Publication Scheme is now available.
Any requests for information can be made via foi@hifrs.org
Data Protection
Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service may hold personal information about you. The Service believes it is very important to treat personal information lawfully and correctly.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) you have rights to be informed and to see what information is held about you.
Information about you may be recorded in several ways – for example, in a personal file, in a project file or on a computer information database. All systems are treated confidentially and are kept in a secure manner.
To ask for access to personal information held about you please contact the Service by:
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Writing, or telephoning the Administration Manager, Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service, 16 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1TB, Tel: 01462 227000 to request a Subject Access Request form, or
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Downloading and completing a Subject Access Request Form and posting it to the Administration Manager at Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service, 16 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1TB.
To confirm your identity we need to see a copy of a document that shows your full name and current address, such as a passport, driving licence, utility bill or bank statement. Please DO NOT send original documents – a photocopy will be acceptable.
On receiving your completed Subject Access Request Form, the Service will:
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Acknowledge receipt of your request within 10 days
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Contact you if any more information or clarification is required from you in order to respond to your request
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Respond to your request in writing within 40 days.
The responsibility for requesting access rests with you.
You will get access to all information held about you within the Service, both manually and computerised subject to DPA exemptions.
The Service has a retention policy and unless there are Legal reasons for keeping information, the Service will destroy information with agreed guidelines.
If you believe that your personal information has not been processed in accordance with the DPA you have the right to ask the Information Commissioner to assess whether the DPA has been contravened.
If you wish to make a Subject Access Request, please complete the attached form and return it as directed.
