Charging scheme
This document explains how the University will charge for information requested under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Environmental Information Charging Scheme
Purpose
This document explains how the University will charge for information requested under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Audience
It is designed for anyone who would like to know how we calculate charges for environmental information request responses including members of the public and University staff.
Charging policy
The University will waive the first £100 of the cost of responding to an environmental information request.
Costs will be calculated based on the actual cost to the University of responding to the request. This includes the cost of staff time, consumables, copying charges and postage.
Charges will not apply to
- the initial cost of determining whether the University holds the requested information
- time taken to decide whether information can be released
- providing information in a specific format because the applicant has a disability or other costs incurred in order to fulfill the University’s duties under equalities legislation
Procedures
How costs will be calculated
Staff time
The cost of staff time will be calculated using the actual hourly salary rate including pension and national insurance costs.
Consumables and copying charges
Consumables and copying will be charged at cost. This includes the cost of photocopying, and other direct outlays such as paper, CDs or other media
Postage costs
Postage will be charged at the cost to the University of sending the information by first class post.
Notification of fee
Where the cost will be over £100, we will issue the applicant with a fee notice, detailing the tasks involved in responding to the request. In order to protect the personal data of members of staff, the fee notice will be presented in such a way that applicants are not able to work out the exact salary of any member of staff.
We will only provide the information on receipt of the fee. The applicant must pay the fee within 60 working days, or the University will take it that they no longer require the information.
Where possible, we will suggest alternative information that may be of interest, or ways of refining the request that will make it cheaper.
Exceptions
The University reserves the right to waive all or part of the charge, but will only do so in exceptional circumstances. For example we may waive the charge where there is a significant benefit to the university in collating the information, which outweighs the resource implications of responding to the request. This will only be waived with the agreement of the University Records Manager (or Deputy Records Manager in her absence) and relevant senior members of staff in the area(s) that hold the information.
Further information
The Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EISR) came into force on 1 January 2005. They give the public a general right of access to recorded environmental information.
Section 8 of the EISR allows an authority to charge for the provision of such information provided it publishes and makes available to applicants:
- a schedule of its fees
- information on the circumstances in which a fee may be charged, waived or required to be paid in advance.
About this policy
Version: 2
Author: Sara Cranston
Date: July 2013