The Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is intended to promote openness and accountability among public bodies by ensuring that people have rights of access to the information that is held by them. Its aim is to provide a better understanding of how public authorities carry out their duties, how they make decisions and how they spend their finances.
The Act enables people to gain access to information in two ways:
Firstly, every public authority has to make some information available as a matter of course through a Publication Scheme. The Scheme commits the authority to make that information available to anyone who consults it. It also has to provide a guide to how the information can be obtained.
Secondly, since 1 January 2005, people have had the right to make a request for any information held by a public authority (although this right is subject to a number of exemptions which permit the withholding of information). The authority has to comply with the terms of the Act in responding. More information.
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