Complaints Procedure
Making a complaint about the licensing activity of Information Fair Trader Scheme members
Making a complaint under the PSI Regulations
The procedures for investigating complaints under the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 apply to all IFTS members, including volunteers to the scheme. If you would like to make a complaint against an IFTS member about something which falls within the scope of the Regulations, please follow the process set out in the PSI complaints procedure.
Making a complaint under the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS)
Some elements of the IFTS commitment fall outside the scope of the Regulations and we will also investigate complaints of this nature. One example of this difference, is that IFTS requires members to maximise the re-use of all information, unless there is a very good reason to justify refusal whereas the Regulations state that a public sector body may permit re-use. To make a complaint under IFTS please follow the process set out in the IFTS complaints pocedure.
Examples of Complaints investigations
April 2006
A company made a complaint to OPSI about a PSIH and an IFTS member under both the PSI Regulations and IFTS. The report detailing OPSI's findings and recommendations is now published on the OPSI website. The complaint concerned the licensing activities carried out by the PSIH and IFTS member and was investigated in line with the PSI and IFTS complaints processes.
January 2004
A company made a complaint to HMSO in its capacity as regulator of trading fund licensing activity. This report shows the findings of HMSO and the conclusions drawn from these findings. The complaint concerned the licensing activity carried out by Ordnance Survey (OS) and was investigated in line with the IFTS complaints process in place at that time.
Mediation
Mediation is an informal process that enables the parties in a dispute to come together and, with the help of the mediator, reach a settlement. OPSI has a number of Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) accredited mediators and offers a mediation service.
