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The UK Freedom of Information Act: The First Year

The UK Freedom of Information Act: The First Year. Dr Chris Hagar INASP chagar@inasp.info. CRRC-DAAD Conference on “Social State: Concept, Armenian Reality and Perspectives“, February 24-26, Tsakhkadzor. Overview. Global context The UK Freedom of Information Act

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The UK Freedom of Information Act: The First Year

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  1. The UK Freedom of Information Act: The First Year Dr Chris Hagar INASP chagar@inasp.info CRRC-DAAD Conference on “Social State: Concept, Armenian Reality and Perspectives“, February 24-26, Tsakhkadzor

  2. Overview • Global context • The UK Freedom of Information Act • First Year of Implementation: The right to request information from January 2005 • FOI stories – what has been disclosed • Issues

  3. What is FOI? • Legislation that empowers individuals to examine, appraise, and analyse government and public sector accountability and transparency • Why? • Widely recognised that unnecessary secrecy undermines public trust in government • Information society • Information rights • Constitutional rights • Citizenship in the information society

  4. FOI Laws – common format • Provide individual with right of access to documents held by government and public authorities • Applicant not required to give reason for, or justify request • Information can be withheld where law permits • Exemptions to right of access • Refusals can be challenged

  5. FOIA Countries – by continent • The 68 FOIA countries continent wise ( Roger Vleugels, 2006) • Dates – formal approval and year in which country FOIA came in power • Name of the FOIA • Africa • South Africa 2000 2001 Promotion of Access to Information Act • Uganda 2005 2005 Access to Information Act • Zimbabwe 2002 2002 Access to Information and Protection to Privacy Act

  6. FOIA Countries – by continent • Asia [including The Middle East] • Armenia 2003 2003 Law on Freedom of Information • Georgia 1999 2001 LFOI: Law on Freedom of Information • Hong Kong 1995 1998 CAI • India 2002 2005 Right to Information Act • Israel 1998 1999 Freedom of Information Law • Japan 1999 2001 Law Concerning Access to Information • Pakistan 2002 2002 Freedom of Information Ordinance • South Korea 1996 1998 Act on Disclosure of Information • Tajikistan 2002 2002 Law on Information • Thailand 1997 1997 Official Information Act • Turkey 2003 2004 Law on Right to Information [[small part = Europe]] • Uzbekistan 1997 1997 Latest revision 2003: Law on the Principles and Guarantees of FOI

  7. FOIA Countries – by continent • The Americas [including the Caribbean] • Antigua/Barbuda 2004 2004 FOIA • Aruba 1999 1999 LOB: Landsverordening openbaarheid van bestuur • Belize 1994 1994 FOIA • Canada 1982 1983 AIA: Access to Information Act • Colombia 1888 1888 Latest revision 1985: Law Ordering the Publicity of Off. Acts and Documents • Dominican Rep 2004 2004 Law on Access to Information • Dutch Antilles 1999 1999 LOB: Landsverordening openbaarheid van bestuur • Ecuador 2004 2004 Transparency and Access to Information Law • Jamaica 2002 2002 Access to Information Act • Mexico 2002 2003 Federal Transparency and Access to Public Government Information Law • Panama 2002 2002 Law on Transparency in Public Administration • Peru 2002 2003 Law on Transparency • Trinidad & Tob. 1999 2001 FOIA • USA 1966 1967 Latest revision 2002: FOIA

  8. FOIA Countries – by continent • Europe • Albania 1999 1999 Law on Right to Information • Austria 1987 1987 Auskunftsplichtsgezetz • Belgium 1994 1994 WOB: Wet openbaarheid • Bosnia & Herz. 2000 2002 FOIA • Bulgaria 2000 2000 APIC: Access to Public • Croatia 2003 2003 Act on the Right of Access • Czech Republic 1999 2000 Law on Free Access to • Denmark 1970 1970 Latest revision 1985: Access • Estonia 2000 2001 PIA: Public Information • Finland 1951 1951 Latest revision 1999: Act • France 1978 1978 Law on Access to Administrative • Germany 2005 2006 IFG: Informationsfreiheitsgesetz • Greece 1986 1986 Latest revision 1999: Code • Hungary 1992 1993 The Protection of Personal • Iceland 1969 1996 Information Act • Ireland 1997 1998 FOIA • Italy 1990 1990 Law No 241 • Kosovo 2003 2003 Law on Access to Official • Latvia 1998 1998 LFOI • Liechtenstein 1999 2000 Informationsgesetz

  9. FOIA Countries – by continent • Lithuania 1996 2000 Law on the Provision of Information • Moldova 2000 2000 Law on Access to Information • Montenegro ? 2005 ? • Netherlands 1978 1980 Latest revision 2005: WOB: Wet • Norway 1970 1970 FOIA • Poland 2001 2002 Law on Access to Public Information • Portugal 1993 1993 Law on Access to Administrative • Romania 2001 2001 Law on Free Access to Information • Scotland 2002 2005 FOIA • Serbia 2003 2004 Law on Free Access to Information • Slovakia 2000 2001 Act on Free Access to Information • Slovenia 2003 2003 Act on Access to Information • Spain 1992 1992 Law on Rules for Public Information • Sweden 1766 1766 Latest revision 1976: Freedom • Switzerland 2004 2006 Öffentlichkeitsgesetz • Ukraine 1992 1992 Constitution art. 34 and OAI • United Kingdom 2000 2005 FOIA [UK minus Scotland]

  10. FOIA Countries – by continent • Oceania • Australia 1982 1982 FOIA • New Zealand 1982 1982 Official Information Act

  11. Most complete FOI statement - Finland • “to promote openness and good practice on information management in government and to provide private individuals and corporations with an opportunity to monitor the exercise of public authority and the use of public resources, to freely form an opinion, to influence the exercise of public authority and to protect their rights and interests” • (Act on the Openness of Government Activities, 1999 [Finland], section3)

  12. UK Freedom of Information Act • Passed in 2000 • Came into force in stages • Fully into force January 2005 • Covers entire public sector • Promotes greater openness and accountability

  13. Which organisations are affected? • Central Government • Local Authorities • Police • The Health Service • Schools, Colleges and Universities • Private organizations designated as public authorities

  14. The Act: • Applies to public authorities • Establishes statutory right to information • Allows anyone, no matter who or where they are, to find out whether information is held, and if it is, to have access to it • Sets out exemptions from that right • Provides for the release of exempt information in the public interest

  15. The Act: • Allows arrangements for enforcement and appeal • Can result in imprisonment for contempt of court

  16. The Act: • Requires public authorities to produce publication schemes • Requires codes of practice • Creates the Office of the Information Commissioner • Amends Data Protection of 1988

  17. The Act: • Covers all information ‘held’ regardless in which form recorded • Fully retrospective • Anyone can apply for information • All written requests for information to be dealt with in 20 working days • There is no exemption for embarrassment • There are implications for the private sector

  18. Publication schemes • Authority must adopt and a maintain a PS, approved by the Information Commissioner • Guide to types of information published • Format • Cost, if any

  19. Codes of practice • Access code • How to handle requests for information • Level of advice and assistance expected • Transferring requested from one public authority to another • Consulting with third parties who may be affected by the release of information • Records management

  20. Exemptions • 23 exemptions e.g. • Certain information relating to national security • Information that would prejudice international relations • Commercially sensitive information

  21. Office of the Information Commissioner • Complaints procedure • The IC can: • Serve an ‘Information Notice’ on any public authority • Issue a ‘Decision Notice’ following his consideration of a complaint • Serve an ‘Enforcement Notice’ on the public authority

  22. Data Protection Act (DPA) and FOI – how do the two interact? • DPA provides individuals with a right of access to personal information • FOI provides information in relation to a public authority • Need to develop a DPA which balances personal information privacy with need for public and private organisations to process personal information

  23. The First Year • Early days • Generally seen to be working well • “Hopeful glimmers of change starting to appear” (Gregorczuk, 2005) • Statistics • No official figures for total no. of requests • Estimate 130,000 requests • 36,000 received by central government

  24. The First Year – Who has used the Act? • Who has used the Act? • Public • Media Scandals, requests from tabloid press • Pressure Groups

  25. The First Year: What has been disclosed?

  26. Differences in UK experience • Full implementation – not phased • High political charge • Shadow cabinet made 130 FOI requests in first three weeks • Journalists – utilising information gained to write stories about local authorities • Volume of requests high • Close ministerial interest in the law

  27. Issues • OIC received 2,200 complaints • Disclosure of information • Good • Local government • Police • Dept. for the Environment & Rural Affairs • Ministry of Defence • Transport

  28. Issues • Disclosure of information • Bad • Downing Street • Trade & Industry • Treasury • Home Office

  29. Issues • Office of the Information Commissioner • Delays in replying to requests • Of 2,200 – 1,300 remain outstanding • Transparency of government departments • Fees to be charged by government bodies? • The Central Clearing-House • Records management • Information creation

  30. Issues to consider in producing criteria • Administrative law • Case law • Jurisprudence • Opportunistic FOI behaviour of civil servants and/or cabinet members, • The request volume • Costs • Quality of the archives • Time for processing • Access problems • Political culture • Civil society culture and ……

  31. Questions / discussion • What is a good FOIA? • What are objective criteria? • What is a minimum standard for an FOIA Act? • Existence of a FOI act = assurance that it will be effective?

  32. Questions / discussion • Information society • Information rights? • Constitutional rights? • Citizenship in the information society? • Change in culture • The UK FOI is less a formal indicator of democracy and more a customer service designed to build up trust in the government ( Gregorczuk, 2005)

  33. Reading • News, views and updates on the UK Freedom of Information Act and worldwide FOI and open government. Maintained by Steve Wood, Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University http://foia.blogspot.com • Open Government: a journal on freedom of Information www.opengovjournal.org/

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