The Act – Section by Section Part 1 – Access to information held by Scottish public authorities Section 24 – Model publication schemes
87.This section provides for the adoption of model publication schemes by certain kinds of Scottish public authority. Section 24(1) and (2) give an authority the option of adopting a model publication scheme, which may have been prepared by the Commissioner, or others, rather than preparing their own. This would enable better use to be made of resources, so that the Commissioner would not have to approve a large number of draft schemes and authorities could work together in preparing model schemes. A model scheme could be adopted by an authority with or without modifications. If modifications are proposed, the further approval of the Commissioner is required in relation to those modifications.
88.Sections 24(3) and (4) contain provisions for approval, refusal to approve and revocation of approval of schemes which are comparable to those for individual schemes, except that when revoking a previous approval of a model publication scheme the Commissioner must publish a notice to this effect including a statement of reasons for revocation.