Some laws make people free; others enslave them.
Some laws enable positive freedom by creating frameworks for action; they make people free by establishing rights, protections, and structures that enable autonomy, self-determination, and the freedom of individuals to pursue their goals.
Some laws make people slaves by imposing oppressive restrictions, such as enabling exploitation or institutionalizing systemic inequality, and by restricting negative freedom through coercion, taxation, and exploitative labour policies.
The relationship between law and freedom is thus dualistic: freedom and slavery represent opposite outcomes of a just legal structures and the unfair use of political power when setting laws. It is important to emphasize that context determines which is which — the same law can be freedom-giving to some while restricting others. The key is whether laws serve justice or power.
Systemic oppression: when laws create conditions in which individuals lack control over their lives (e.g., debt bondage, exploitative labour, and taxes that entrench inequality and fund oppressive institutions).
In essence, laws shape freedom dialectically — they constrain to protect but can also institutionalize subjugation. Their impact hinges on legitimacy, justice, fairness, and equitable enforcement.
Freedom In a just legal structures. Laws uphold rights, equality, and limits on power, enabling individual autonomy.
Slavery Unfair use of political power in law-making some Laws serve as instruments of oppression, exploitation, or systemic inequality.
law itself is neutral—its impact on freedom depends on how it is crafted and enforced.
Add your Freedom of Information Request
Freedom of Information Request for information:
Go to the Scottish Information Commissioner for all the information you require: https://www.foi.scot/how-do-i-ask
Scottish Information Commissioner Website for:
You can download a copy, of there guide, to your rights below.
Download on there site:
Your Right To Know - A Guide to FOI in Scotland (PDF - 2.7MB)
Your Right to Know - Guide to FOI in Scotland (Word - 60KB)
Your Right to Know - Summary Leaflet (PDF - 4.26MB)
Your Rights : You have a right to get information from Scottish public bodies.
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 give you the right to ask for and be given information from a wide range of public organisations in Scotland. Like Councils and the Scottish Government.
Getting the information just ask for it. You must use your real full name and a contact e-mail or address, your name must be included in the main text of the request. I suggest you add your Telephone number.Describe the information as clearly and as briefly as you can and ask for the information you really want.
They can only give you information which has been recorded by an authority. But this can be report, spreadsheet, email, or a minute from a meeting or photos and videos.
You don't have to mention FOI (although you can), nor do you have to give any reasons for asking, or say why you want the information. You don't even have to live in Scotland.
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This is the request to highland council you can use it to make your own request's
Chief Executive, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX, E-mail: chief.executive@highland.gov.uk
request to highland council
Scottish public authority
Freedom of Information (FOI) gives you the right to request and receive the information held by public authorities. The right applies to any information that is held by a public authority, and the authority must respond to each request within 20 working days of receiving it.
I - full name- at - Address- Tel: -Number- here by Request under the Freedom of information the following list of information. And it be sent to me by e-mail to your -e maill address- or if not possible by Post. The present time being -- the date of you request like 23 Dec 2025--
1
Freedom of Information Request has been submitted. To Highland Council
Request summary
Subject of request: Domestic rates properties
Details of your request:
1 The number of none domestic rates properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time.
2 The number of none domestic rates properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. That are presently unoccupied and paying business rates to the Highland Council
3 The number of None domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. That are presently occupied and paying rates to the Highland Council
4 The number of none domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. That are presently unoccupied and paying business rate to the Highland Council
5 The number of none domestic rates properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time that are not paying the their rates bills
6 The number of none domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. That are presently unoccupied. That are not paying the their rates bills
7 The number of none domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. That are presently unoccupied. That are not paying their rates bills because of illness death or suicide
Your reference is FS-Case-771787828. Please quote this if you need to contact us.
Original FOI request: Domestic rates properties
The information requested is exempt under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
1. The number of non-domestic rates properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. 19488
2. The number of non-domestic rates properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time.
That are presently unoccupied and paying business rates to the Highland Council 544
3. The number of non-domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time.
That are presently occupied and paying rates to the Highland Council 1927.
Some occupied properties maybe in receipt of another relief for example registered charities relief.
4. The number of non-domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time.
That are presently unoccupied and paying business rate to the Highland Council 49
5. The number of non-domestic rates properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time that are not paying their rates bills
In 2025 (to date of request), 1122 accounts have been passed to the Sheriff Officer further recovery action.
6. The number of non-domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. That are presently unoccupied. That are not paying their rates bills.
We can confirm that the information you have requested regarding the number of non-domestic rates shop properties that the Council is responsible for is not held centrally. In order to collate this information, it would require a manual check of all non-domestic accounts which would cost more than the £600 threshold set by the Fees regulations under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Where the costs of complying with a request exceeds this threshold, the Council is not obliged to comply with a request.
However, we can advise that shops are included in the number above 1122.
7. The number of non-domestic rates Shop properties that Highland Council is responsible for at the present time. That are presently unoccupied. That are not paying their rates bills because of illness death or suicide.
We can confirm that the Council does not hold any information regarding non-payment of rates due to illness, death or suicide as the Council does not have access to a ratepayer’s medical records. Therefore, under Section 17 of Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 the Council is unable to provide the information requested as it is not held.
Request Freedom of Information (FOI) 2/2/26 To:
Contact list: 1 Aberdeen city council media@aberdeencity.gov.uk , 2 Aberdeenshire council cllr.j.whyte@aberdeenshire.gov.uk , 3 Dundee City council HeadofDigital@dundeecity.gov.uk , 4 Edinburgh council Cllr.Alys.Mumford@edinburgh.gov.uk , 5 Glasgow City council alexander.belic@glasgow.gov.uk
date:3/2/26: 6 Perth & Kinross Council glaing@pkc.gov.uk , 7 West Lothian council Lawrence.Fitzpatrick@westlothian.gov.uk , 8 Stirling council mcgills@stirling.gov.uk , 9 West Dunbartonshire council Karen.MurrayConaghan@west-dunbarton.gov.uk , 10 South Lanarkshire council joe.fagan@southlanarkshire.gov.uk , 11 South Ayrshire Councillor Duncan Townson Email: Duncan.Townson@south-ayrshire.gov.uk , 12 Scottish Borders watson.mcateer@scotborders.gov.uk, 13 Renfrewshire council cllr.jacqueline.cameron@renfrewshire.gov.uk and Jacqueline Cameron , 14 North Lanarkshire council membersservices@northlan.gov.uk , 15 Midlothian Council Email: kelly.parry@midlothian.gov.uk ,