Freedom Of Information

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) gives everyone access to information held by Scottish Public Authorities. The Act aims to increase openness and transparency by allowing access to information about how decisions are taken and services are delivered.

As of November 2019 Ark is classified as a public authority, and certain aspects of our work are now subject to Freedom of Information. Please note that only activities related to our Housing function are subject to Freedom of Information, which for Ark means that activity relating to our Care and Support service and our subsidiaries (Ark Services Ltd and Ark Commercial Investment Ltd) is not subject to FOISA.

If you would like to make a request for information you can do so by clicking the ‘contact us’ button linked from the top of this page or by writing to us by email: foi@arkha.org.uk or post: Ark Ltd, The Priory, Canaan Lane, Edinburgh EH10 4SG.

Withholding Information / Exemptions

Under Freedom of Information legislation, information may be withheld if there is a good reason for doing so.
If information is requested and we plan to withhold that information on the basis of one of the exemption clauses available under FOISA, we will clearly state the reasons and quote the relevant exemption clause(s) also.

Model Publication Scheme

As well as responding to requests for information, Public Authorities must publish information by adopting and maintaining a publication scheme which has approval from the Scottish Information Commissioner. Ark’s Board of Management has adopted the Model Publication Scheme 2018, produced and approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner. 

The adoption of the Model Publication Scheme sets out our commitment to make certain classes of information available.

We have developed a Guide to Information for this purpose and this also contains details of the information that we routinely make available. Our Guide to Information is routinely reviewed and updated, and can be accessed here.