Scotland’s outgoing Information Commissioner has called for tightening of Freedom of Information laws claiming that local authorities fail to deal with requests properly.

Kevin Dunion told MSPs that mishandled requests are increasing and called for his successor to be given more powers.

Mr Dunion said a growing number of requests for information are being appealed to the commissioner after being rejected by councils.

He fears the public’s right to access information is diminishing because of public services being out-sourced to trusts or private companies, and minister’s refusal to widen the scope of the act.

Said Mr Dunion: “Authorities are not responding, or they’re not responding on time, or they are failing to find all the information. This may be because authorities have not maintained training levels, or they have not anticipated the increase in requests.”

In a report before the Scottish Parliament he has recommended that charges that deter requests for information should not be introduced and that the commissioner should be empowered to take evidence under oath if necessary.

He says that organisations such as private contractors working for the public sector should be eligible for Freedom of Information requests.

He added that it had been nearly ten years since parliament was told that powers to designate additional bodies such as local authority trusts and private contractors would be used but successive administrations have failed to follow this through.

Earlier this week we reported that Welsh MP Simon Hart was calling for tighter laws surrounding ‘bonkers’ FoI requests that were wasting time and money.