The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 give everyone the right to request information held by any Scottish public authority.
Citizens Advice Scotland, insofar as it undertakes duties and powers relating to the following services is subject to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations:
- the Extra Help Unit
Key Legislation
The following legislation provide the legal basis under which some of Citizen Advice Scotland's work is subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 (CEAR Act)
This legislation can be viewed at www.legislation.gov.uk. Please check for warning signs that there are outstanding changes not yet made to the legislation.
The Extra Help Unit unit, part of Citizens Advice Scotland from April 2014, works to fulfil the duty under Section 13 of the CEAR Act to deal with cases where the consumer has been disconnected or has been threatened with disconnection, including prepayment off-supply cases. Citizens Advice Scotland and Citizens Advice also have powers under Section 12 of the CEAR Act to deal with energy or postal cases received from vulnerable consumers. The CEAR Act defines a vulnerable consumer as being someone that it is not reasonable to expect to pursue the complaint themselves.
The Public Bodies (The Office of Fair Trading Transfer of Consumer Advice Scheme Function and Modification of Enforcement Functions) Order 2013
Statutory Instrument: 2013 Number 783
This legislation can be viewed at www.legislation.gov.uk. Please check for warning signs that there are outstanding changes not yet made to the legislation.
The Public Bodies (Abolition of the National Consumer Council and Transfer of the Office of Fair Trading’s Functions in relation to Estate Agents etc) Order 2014
Statutory Instrument: 2014 Number 631
This legislation can be viewed at www.legislation.gov.uk. Please check for warning signs that there are outstanding changes not yet made to the legislation.
This statutory instrument makes key amendments to other legislation, including the CEAR Act 2007, to transfer powers to Citizens Advice Scotland and Citizens Advice (England and Wales).
Scottish Government - Public Bodies Act Consent Memorandum relating to The Public Bodies (Abolition Of The National Consumer Council and Transfer of the Office of Fair Trading’s Functions In Relation To Estate Agents etc) Order 2014
This memorandum can be viewed at: www.scottish.parliament.uk.
The memorandum gives legislative consent as appropriate to the The Public Bodies (Abolition Of The National Consumer Council and Transfer of the Office of Fair Trading’s Functions In Relation To Estate Agents etc) Order 2014.