Freedom of Information background
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to establish a new culture of openness and transparency in the public sector.
The main features of the Act are:
- A right, from January 2005, to be told whether information is held by a public authority and a right to have that information supplied to you upon request, subject to certain discretionary and legal exemptions;
- A duty on public authorities to adopt a publication scheme for the proactive publication of information. The scheme, which must be approved by the Information Commissioner, will specify the classes of information the authority intends to publish, the manner of publication and whether the information is available to the public free of charge or on payment of a fee.
Publication Scheme
The Publication Scheme is a list of publications produced by DFP in the course of its work
DFP's aim in developing this scheme is to set out:
- The classes of information we publish or intend to make available as a matter of course;
- How this information can be accessed; and
- Whether the information is available free of charge or on payment.
The classes of information and the manner in which they will be published are specified in Section 11 of the scheme.
Office of the Information Commissioner
Additional information on the Freedom of Information Act 2000 can be obtained from the Information Commissioner, who enforces and oversees the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998. Contact details are:
Information Commissioner,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
WILMSLOW,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF.
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
WILMSLOW,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF.
Details of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, including exemptions can be located at the following websites:
Please contact us if you require more information.
