F.O.I. background
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 apply to a wide range of public authorities, including central and local Government, the Police, GPs and Dentists and thousands of other public authorities, establish a right of access by the public to all types of "recorded" information held by these authorities and impose obligations on them to disclose information, subject to a range of exemptions and exceptions. However, the public authority is not required to release information to which any of the exemptions in the Act or exceptions in the Regulations apply. Typically, information may be withheld if its release would compromise the health & safety of staff; where confidential data about others is included; or for reasons of security. Freedom of Information Act 2000
Individuals already have the right to access their own information held on computer, and in some paper files, under the Data Protection Act 1998. This is known as the 'subject access right'.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 extend these rights to allow access to all the types of information held by the public authority, whether personal or non-personal.
What is a Publication Scheme?
One of the aims of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is that public authorities should be clear and proactive about the information they will make public. Central to this is the preparation of publication schemes (a list of classes of information which it makes, or intends to make, routinely available). In this Scheme, 'publication' not only refers to printed material but also includes information in other formats such as electronic documents and CD-ROMs. The Scheme sets out:
- the classes of information we publish or intend to publish
- the manner in which they will be published
- whether the information is available free of charge or on payment
How is the Publication Scheme structured?
The Scheme brings together the many different types of information produced by the Department in a clear and structured way. It organises the information by 'category' and then by 'class' and provides details on how to access and/or obtain it. This structure aims to save you time and effort when searching for information.
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