View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
August 26, 2004updated 22 Nov 2022 11:59am

Sunday Times in Scottish press freedom victory

By Press Gazette

The Sunday Times Scotland has won a ground-breaking decision on press freedom in Scotland.

It allowed the newspaper to publish a report which revealed a league table, rating the performances of judges.

It is the first time that information about the performances of Scottish judges has been published, and follows eight months of negotiations between the Sunday Times Scotland and the Scottish Executive.

It was also the first case to be investigated by Kervin Dunion, the Scottish information commissioner, whose intervention ensured that the material requested was eventually made public.

The Sunday Times Scotland requested the information about the performances of judges from the Scottish Executive in January.

It was referred to the Scottish Court Service, which twice refused to release the statistics. Those decisions prompted an appeal to the Scottish information commissioner, who ruled the information should be handed over under the code of practice on access to Scottish Executive information.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

“I am pleased to have been able to affect a settlement between the Sunday Times and the Scottish Courts Service,” said Dunion.

“As a result, information of public interest has been revealed that would have remained undisclosed.”

By Hamish Mackay

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network