Information Governance UK Training Courses > Freedom of Information (FOI) Courses
SCOTTISH PUBLIC SECTOR EXPERTISE
Scottish Public Sector Information Governance Training
Practical, expert-led training in FOISA, the EIRs and data protection for the people who run information governance in Scotland’s public authorities.
Training written specifically for FOISA and the EISRs, not adapted from the UK Act
Delivered by experienced practitioners, including Liz Taylor and Frank Rankin
Available as scheduled online courses or delivered in-house for your team
Courses for Scottish public authorities
Scotland has its own information access regime, its own regulator and its own codes of practice. Training written for the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will not prepare your team to handle a request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, apply the substantial prejudice test, or defend a position at appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.
Our Scottish courses are built for that difference. They are delivered live online by practitioners who have worked inside Scottish public authorities, using Scottish legislation, Scottish codes and decisions from the Scottish Information Commissioner. All courses below are delivered live online by an experienced trainer. Each can also be delivered in-house and customised to your organisation’s context.
BCS Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection
(excl VAT) £2350
Introduction to Scottish Freedom of Information
(excl VAT) £375
Practitioner Certificate in Scottish Freedom of Information
(excl VAT) £1300
Practitioner Certificate in Scottish Public Sector Records Management
(excl VAT) £1300
Tkm Certificate in Data Protection Compliance
(excl VAT) £375
Why Scottish public authorities choose Tkm & Associates
Freedom of information gives the public a legal right to request recorded information held by public authorities. The right itself is simple. Managing it well is not.
The training is Scottish, not adapted
We teach FOISA and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 as they actually operate, including the substantial prejudice test, the section 60 and section 61 Codes of Practice, and the appeal route to the Scottish Information Commissioner. The differences between FOISA and the UK Act matter in practice, and our courses treat them as the main subject rather than a footnote.
Our trainers are experienced professionals
Liz Taylor and Frank Rankin deliver our courses and work in the field. Delegates consistently tell us the value comes from the worked examples and the space to bring their own live problems into the room. Liz Taylor and Frank Rankin deliver our courses and work in the field. Delegates consistently tell us the value comes from the worked examples and the space to bring their own live problems into the room.
We cover the whole information governance function
FOISA, the EIRs, data protection, records management and AI governance sit together in most Scottish public bodies, usually within the same small team. We can train across all of them, which means one training partner rather than several.
Proportionate advice, not fear
We do not sell compliance on the basis of penalties. We help teams build the capability to handle their workload properly, which is what actually reduces risk.
Recognised outcomes
Courses carry CPD certificates and Tkm Badges, with badge levels benchmarked against the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. Practitioner and BCS courses lead to recognised certification.
Who these FOISA courses are for
Our Scottish courses are used across the full range of Scottish public authorities listed in Schedule 1 of FOISA, and by the bodies later brought into scope by designation orders.
Scottish local government
Scotland has 32 local authorities, and councils handle some of the largest and most varied FOI caseloads in the country. They typically face a mix of high volume routine requests, politically sensitive requests, journalist requests, and requests that cross the boundary between FOISA and the EIRs on planning, roads, waste and environmental health. Devolved handling across service departments makes consistency the central problem, and consistency is a training problem.
Scottish Government and executive agencies
Central government bodies face the most scrutinised requests in Scotland, and the Commissioner has been publicly critical of Scottish Government compliance on several occasions, including a compliance warning issued in January 2026. Agencies including Disclosure Scotland, Social Security Scotland, Transport Scotland, Education Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service and Registers of Scotland all need staff who can apply exemptions defensibly and evidence their reasoning.
Registered social landlords
Housing associations and many of their subsidiaries have been within scope of FOISA since 11 November 2019, in relation to specified functions and services. Many RSL teams are still building capability.
NHS Scotland boards and health bodies
Territorial and national boards handle requests that sit at the intersection of FOISA, data protection and clinical confidentiality. The Commissioner has run interventions at more than one board in recent years.
Police, fire and justice bodies
Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Police Authority and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service handle requests where law enforcement and personal data exemptions require careful, evidenced application.
Colleges and universities Scotland
Sector bodies face requests on admissions, staffing, research funding and commercial arrangements, where section 33 commercial interests and section 30 effective conduct of public affairs are regularly in play.
Arms-length organisations
Leisure, sports and cultural trusts created by local authorities were designated in 2013 and came into scope on 1 April 2014.
In-house training for Scottish public sector teams
If you have a group to train, in-house delivery is usually the better option. We build the course around your authority’s own context: your request volumes, your service areas, your recurring difficulties, and the exemptions you actually rely on.
Request in-person or online in-house delivery
Content customised to your authority and your sector
Understand the theory and get the practical skills to apply it
What our customers say
"I now have a good foundational knowledge on FOISA and EIR”
The trainer (Frank) delivered the training in a positive and engaging way. He was knowledgeable and experienced and happily responded to our questions. I thoroughly enjoyed the training, feel that I have benefited from attending and would happily recommend to anyone
Student, May 2026
Introduction to Scottish Freedom of Information
"The course was well done and the instructor very knowledgeable"
The information was explained well and the examples given by participants helped clear things up, especially for those new to FO
Student, May 2026
Introduction to Scottish Freedom of Information
"Frank is a good host"
.. he keeps things interesting. I’ve found that on all of the TKM courses I’ve been on. There was lots of space for contribution which I think is important for my learning.
Student, June 2026
Introduction to Scottish Freedom of Information