Access Period on scotlandspeople.gov.uk

[DavidWW]

As most will know, the access period has been 168 hours for some months, but on an unofficial basis.

There's a good chance that this will shortly become official, but all it will take is one single MSP to object to the proposed Statutory Instrument and it won't proceed..............

Davie

[StewL]

Hello Davie

I hope the longer (permanent) period comes to fruition, it will help me when I start my afternoon shift job, working 4pm to midnight sort of cuts into your time a bit .

Just hope no politician sees it as an opportunity to have their name on a bit of paper.

[Brulin]

Hi

Just wondered if anyone knew why there was a time limit to use use credits on Scotlandspeople - most other sites where credits are paid have an unlimited time to use them or at least none as short as the Scotlandspeople site. Its put me off using the site because when I first registered I paid but didnt use most of the credit then when I went back in a couple of weeks later to do more research the credits were gone. I desperately wanted some information at the time and only had a short time to spend on the computer so paid again, and lost credits a second time. However I would like more time to browse the site but reluctant to do so because of the time limits.

Is there proposals to lengthen the credit period?

Brulin

[HeatherH]

Hi Brulin,Although you may have had to buy more credits to reactivate your account any unused credits from a previous search would still be there.

This is a Quote from their Q and A

I have unused page credits and my session has expired. What happens now?
You will not lose any unused credits after your session expires. These are stored and added to your next purchase, which activates a new 48-hour session.


As to the time limit that is set by Government Statutes.

HeatherK

[DavidWW]

The access period has now been confirmed by a recent, new Statutory Instrument from the Scottish Parliament as 168 hours, = 7 days.

Davie

[StewL]

Brilliant Davie

Great to hear about the extended time for use of credits.
Not doing that late job now, but still it is great to hear that they have extended the time. =D>

[Jack]

Glad to hear that Davie,

It does make a huge diiference, but i'd still like to know why there has to be a time limit at all - we pay upfront, they've got our cash.

But we've been down this road before, and never did find out why one was imposed in the first place - nor who was responsible for it.

Jack

[DavidWW]

Glad to hear that Davie,

It does make a huge diiference, but i'd still like to know why there has to be a time limit at all - we pay upfront, they've got our cash.

But we've been down this road before, and never did find out why one was imposed in the first place - nor who was responsible for it.

Jack

Hi Jack

Valid question !!

Not sure if I can supply the definitive answer, but I'll do my best!

If you visit NRH in Edinburgh and pay the £17 access fee that gives access to all the resources available at NRH for the day, so that you then accept the limits of that access.

Such access is very clearly defined in terms of the relevant Scottish legislation, and in particular the associated "Statutory Instruments", - which, incidentally but most importantly, permit, - let's not forget, - a much greater degree of access to the Scottish records, compared to the access permitted by the equivalent legislation and associated regulations in England and Wales.............

Previously, on the basis of fiche access, I held the record for accessing fiche BMD records at NRH, - 185 in a day, - but I cheated!! <g> in that I pre-prepared the fiche order slips !! - the cost being £17, - but what would such an exercise have cost in England ??!

When the GROS records first went on-line, it was unilaterally decided, and codified in Scottish legislation that the on-line access would be limited to 48 hours, however much that limit might be argued, never mind whether any such access limit is valid !!

While there are strong arguments for access to the indexes being free of charge, not least in terms of such access leading, many would argue, to eventual even greater benefit to GROS in terms of the numbers of register and census images that would then be ordered at 5 credits/image, the reality is that GROS has decided to adopt a certain approach in terms of time limited access.

48 hours was seen from the beginning as far too short a period, so that an increase to 7 days, - 168 hours, - can only be seen as positive, - and proof that the User Group's input has produced a result !!

That's not to say that SP users should not continue to advocate other approaches direct to GROS and via the User Group !!...............

Davie

[Later edit....... "any would argue" changed to the intended "......many would argue" dww]

[AndrewP]

To quote from that piece of legislation...

• EXPLANATORY NOTE
  
  (This note is not part of the Regulations)
  
  
  These Regulations amend the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Divorces (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 1998 by extending the period during which an Internet search session may continue from 48 hours to 168 hours.

The full (and otherwise almost uninformative) text can be found at http://www.hmso.gov.uk/legislation/scot ... 050100.htm

All the best,

Andrew Paterson