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17 August 2009
Your Ref:
Our Ref:
0601/09
Mr Alastair Manderson
[email address]
Force Disclosure Unit
Police Headquarters
173 Pitt Street
GLASGOW
G2 4JS
Tel: 0141 435 1216
Fax: 0141 435 1218
Dear Mr Manderson
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NUMBER 0601/09
I refer to your correspondence of 17 July 2009, which was received by Strathclyde Police on
same date.
Does Strathclyde Police have any rules regarding membership of the Grand Orange Lodge
of Scotland?
If so, how many Police Officers are known members of the Orange Institution?
Your request for information has now been considered and I can advise you that Strathclyde
Police does not hold any of the information requested by you. In terms of Section 17 of the
Act, this letter represents a formal notice that information is not held.
By way of explanation, Strathclyde Police does not have any specific documentation relating
to police officers being members of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, nor are police
officers required to declare membership of any similar organisations and, as such, this
information is also not held.
Even though the requested information is not held, in general terms the undernoted may be of
interest to you.
Section 7 (Schedule 1) of the Police (Scotland) Regulations 2004 makes reference to the
Restrictions on the Private Life of Members of Police Forces, namely:
“A member of a police force shall at all times abstain from any activity which is likely to
interfere with the impartial discharge of that member’s duties or which is likely to give
rise to the impression amongst members of the public that it may so interfere; and in
particular a member of a police force shall not take any active part in politics.”
Information relating to the Police (Scotland) Regulations 2004 is available to the public on
the following website:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland.
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I hope this information is helpful, however, if you are not satisfied with the way in which
your request has been dealt with, you are entitled in the first instance to request a review of
the decision made by the Force. Should you wish to request such a review, please write to
Mrs Sheena Brennan, Disclosure Manager at the above address within 40 working days of
receiving this letter. Once informed of the Review Panel’s decision, if you are still not
satisfied, then you are entitled to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner within six
months for a decision. Contact details are; Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner,
Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, telephone 01334 464610.
I should like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in Strathclyde Police.
Should you require any further assistance concerning this matter please contact me directly on
0141 435 1216 quoting the reference number given.
Yours Sincerely
Colette McFarlane
Freedom of Information Officer
