Information management
Freedom of information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to all types of information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities. Any person who makes a request for information must be told whether the authority holds that information and, subject to exemptions, supplied with the information requested.
Individuals already have the right of access to information about themselves under the Data Protection Act 1998. As far as public authorities are concerned, the Freedom of Information Act will extend this right to access to all types of information held. This individual right of access came into effect on 1 January 2005.
Public authorities are required to adopt and maintain a publication scheme, specifying the classes of information that it will publish, the manner in which it will publish the information and whether it intends to charge for the information or not. The intention of the scheme is to ensure that a significant amount of information is available, without the need for a specific request. Schemes are intended to encourage organisations to publish more information pro-actively and to develop a greater culture of openness.
The Act will be enforced by the Information Commissioner, a post that combines regulation of the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts.
