Environmental information
As with Freedom of Information (FOI) enquiries, you can ask to be provided with environmental information by way of a request.
If you request environmental information which we hold, then unless an exemption applies (similar to FOI exemptions), you are entitled to be given the information within 20 working days, or 40 working days if your enquiry is particularly complicated.
If the Good Shepherd Centre decides the volume and complexity of your enquiry means that the extended 40 working days response time applies, you'll be notified in writing.
There is a fee for providing environmental information, although the specific charging rules are different to those applying to FOI enquiries.
What is environmental information?
Environmental information is defined as "any information on the state of the elements of the environment, such as air and atmosphere, water, soil, land, landscape and natural sites including wetlands, coastal and marine areas, biological diversity and its components, including genetically modified organisms, and the interaction among these elements; factors likely to affect the environment; measures to protect it; reports on environmental legislation; and any other matter which directly affects the environment".
Fees and charges
Although there are different rules for charges for environmental information requests we will calculate the fee for an environmental information request on the same basis as is laid down for Freedom of Information requests, i.e. actual staff time capped at a maximum of £15 per hour plus any costs associated with putting the information into a particular format, copying and postage costs.
As with FOI requests, the first £100 of costs are provided free of charge, and the Good Shepherd Centre may charge the full amount for a request which exceeds £600 or refuse it if the cost of compliance breaches this limit.
Our photocopying charge per sheet of paper is:
Standard A4 copies (Black and white) will be charged at 0.225p per single sheet
Standard A4 copies (Colour) will be charged at 1.35p per single sheet
Information provided on secure pen drives will be charged at £20.00 plus VAT (a higher charge may apply for larger pen drives).
We will recharge any postage costs at the rate we paid to send the information to you.
When providing copies of pre-printed publications, we will charge no more than the cost per copy of the total print run.
We do not pass on any other costs to you for our published information.
Where a fee is charged, payment must be made in advance of providing the information. The
applicant gets written notice of this and thereafter, has 60 working days to pay. The response
timescale is suspended during this time. The Good Shepherd Centre must publish a schedule of
charges and information on the circumstances in which a fee may be charged, waived or has to be
paid in advance.
If making a written request for environmental information, please complete a freedom of information request stating that it’s under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations.