David HamiltonScottish Information Commissioner

David Hamilton took up post as Scottish Information Commissioner in October 2023, for a fixed term of six years.

As Scottish Information Commissioner, David is responsible for the enforcement and promotion of Scotland's freedom of information laws. This includes handling appeals about the way in which Scottish public authorities respond to information requests, promoting good practice and monitoring and assessing FOI performance.

Warren SeddonThe Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

Warren Seddon is the ICO’s Director of Freedom of Information and Transparency responsible for its Freedom of Information (FOI) policy, guidance and upstream regulation work. Warren’s team are responsible for handling all complaints to the ICO over public authorities’ responses to requests for information under the FOI Act and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), as well as monitoring and enforcing compliance with the legislation. He is also a member of the Administrative Justice Council.

Jon BainesChair of NADPO (representing NADPO)

Jon Baines is a Senior Data Protection Specialist in the Innovation Department of Mishcon de Reya. With more than 15 years' experience, he advises clients across the whole of Mishcon's practice areas on data protection issues. He also advises clients on making and responding to Freedom of Information Act requests.

Jon is recognised as an innovative thinker, especially on the subject of data litigation. He is the longstanding chair of the National Association of Data Protection and Freedom of Information Officers (NADPO). He is also regularly sought for comment by specialist and national media, writes extensively on data protection matters, and is recognised in Legal 500 as a "Rising Star" in the Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity category.

Lynn WyethCommittee Member of NADPO (representing NADPO)

Lynn Wyeth is the former Head of the Information Governance function and the Data Protection Officer of a large unitary public authority and has over 15 years' experience as a Freedom of Information practitioner. She holds a post graduate diploma in Information Rights and the CISMP certificate, the Data Protection BCS ISEB and the Freedom of Information BCS ISEB, and is an accredited HSCIPP privacy practitioner. Lynn’s current team won the Information and Records Management Society Team of the Year award in 2018.

Lynn is the author of two books, A Practical Guide to Handling Freedom of Information Requests, and Data Protection: Compliance in Practice. She has contributed a chapter to the book 'Freedom Fighters or Lazy Journalism: Critical reflections on freedom of information' edited by John Mair and Tom Felle.

Lynn is a Chair and regular speaker at national conferences on information governance matters, as well as running training for several IG training companies as well as her own company.

Lynn advised the Government of Jersey on the implementation of FOI legislation on the island. She also sits on the examination board of PDP’s FOI journal and is currently undertaking a PhD on Freedom of Information at De Montfort University, Leicester.

Scott SammonsRepresenting the Information and Records Management Society

Scott is an experienced freelance IG consultant having now worked and volunteered for 15+ years in the profession across various sectors. Freelance for the last 5 years as a remote DPO or project IG SME at Lighthouse IG, Scott is also a Senior Associate Trainer with Act Now Training and Skills Coach for the Level 4 DP & IG apprenticeship programme in England. Additionally Scott volunteers at the Information and Records Management Society (IRMS) and served as Chair from 2016-20.

Carole Ewartrepresenting the Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland (CFoIS)

Carole Ewart is the Convener of the Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland and serves as Chief Officer. She has recently drafted a Bill to reform the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and regularly convenes the Scottish Public Information Forum. She is a member of the ‘Access Info’ International Advisory Board and Board of Directors. Carole is also a public policy and human rights consultant working with organisations primarily in the not-for-profit sector.

Carole serves on the Jimmy Reid Foundation Project Board, an independent think tank for progressive policy in Scotland, and is a member of the UK Anti-SLAPP Working Group on the use of legal intimidation and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) as a threat to freedom of expression, the right to information and the right to engage in public participation.

Maurice Frankelrepresenting the Campaign for Freedom of Information (CFOI)

Maurice Frankel has worked for the Campaign for Freedom of Information since it was set up in 1984 and has been its Director since 1987. He previously worked on access to environmental and safety information issues for the corporate accountability group Social Audit. He drafted the successful Private Members’ Bills which became the Access to Personal Files Act 1987, the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, the Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 and the Access to Health Records Act 1990.

He was a member of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Group on Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act and the Commonwealth Group of Experts whose Freedom of Information Principles were adopted by Commonwealth Law Ministers in 1999. He received an OBE for services to open government in 2004.