Freedom of Information Act

1
Freedom of Information Act

• Implements the Governments
• Right To Know
• White Paper

2
FoI Act 2000Aims

• To ensure that Public Authorities publish more
  information as a matter of course in order to
  open up public authorities and make the whole of
  government more accountable to the public

3
FoI Publication Timetable

• Central Government by November 2002
• Local Government by February 2003
• Police Prosecuting by June 2003
• Health Service by October 2003
• Indvl. Right of Access by January 2005
• LA must comply by January 2005

4
FoI Recap

• Publication Schemes
• Classes of information
• Individual Right of Access
• Extends DPA rights to all types of information
• Approval of Publication Schemes and Classes of
  Inf. By the Information Commissioner.

5
FoI Extent of the Right to Inf.

• Request in writing or e-mail
• Public Authorities must comply within 20Wkg. Days
  the act 2 codes of prac.
• Indvl. gets a summary or a copy of all inf.
• Indvl. can ask to see original record
• LA can charge a fee but must publish a schedule
  of charges.

6
FoI ExemptionsAct defines 23 exemptions to
general right of access

• Qualified Public Interest
• National Security
• The Economy
• Investigations
• Law enforcement
• Audit functions
• Form. of Gov. Policy
• Prejudicial to Pub Affairs
• Health and Safety
• Commercial Interests

• Absolute
• Inf. freely available by other means
• Court records
• Parliamentary Privilege
• Disclosure which would breach DPA
• Information provided in confidence

7
FoI ActKey Questions to be addressed

• Has your Publication scheme and Inf. Classes been
  published and approved?
• Have you established an effective method of
  collecting information on datasets?
• How will you maintain it?
• What exemptions have you registered?
• Should exemptions be common across London?
• How will you respond to Information requests
  between February 2003 and January 2005?
• Do you need help in raising awareness?

8
FoI Interactive bit

• Please open the envelopes
• If you can answer all those questions for all
  your systems I salute you (metaphorically)
• LC/TSO have developed a web based Information
  discovery product
• LC/TSO have produced extensive help notes
• Held training on 07/02/03
• Target completion 6 weeks from 10/02/03
• Report for LC Boroughs
• Now working on a comprehensive glossary/vocabulary

9
FoI Progress at one Borough

• Advice, Benft. Emer. 10 4C
• Business Licensing 8 2C
• Comm. People Living 24 6C
• Council Democracy 83 16C
• Education 38 7C
• Environment 61 14C

10
FoI Progress at one Borough

• Housing 30 13C
• Jobs and Careers 38 13C
• Leisure 31 15C
• News 1
  1C
• Social Services 29 7C
• Transport and Streets 10 3C
• Totals 363 101C

11
FoI ActKey Questions to be addressed

• Has your Publication scheme and Inf. Classes been
  published and approved?
• Have you established an effective method of
  collecting information on datasets?
• How will you maintain it?
• What exemptions have you registered?
• Should exemptions be common across London?
• How will you respond to Information requests
  between February 2003 and January 2005
• Do you need help in raising awareness?