Freedom of Information in UK Law
-
British Broadcasting Corporation and another v Sugar (No 2)
“
In my judgment these three cases fall far short of establishing that an individual's article 10(1) freedom to receive information is interfered with whenever, as in the present case, a public authority, acting consistently with the domestic legislation governing the nature and extent of its obligations to disclose information, refuses access to documents.
-
Common Services Agency v Scottish Information Commissioner (Scotland)
“
But that proposition must not be applied too widely, without regard to the way the Act was designed to operate in conjunction with DPA 1998. So while the entitlement to information is expressed initially in the broadest terms that are imaginable, it is qualified in respects that are equally significant and to which appropriate weight must also be given. The scope and nature of the various exemptions plays a key role within the Act's complex analytical framework.
-
Kennedy v Information Commissioner and another (Secretary of State for Justice and Others intervening) [SC]
“
Information is the key to sound decision-making, to accountability and development; it underpins democracy and assists in combatting poverty, oppression, corruption, prejudice and inefficiency. Administrators, judges, arbitrators, and persons conducting inquiries and investigations depend upon it; likewise the press, NGOs and individuals concerned to report on issues of public interest. These competing considerations, and the balance between them, lie behind the issues on this appeal.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 was a landmark enactment of great constitutional significance for the United Kingdom. It introduced a new regime governing the disclosure of information held by public authorities. It created a prima facie right to the disclosure of all such information, save insofar as that right was qualified by the terms of the Act or the information in question was exempt.
-
Between: Steven Sugar (appellant) (1)the British Broadcasting Commission (respondents) (2) The Information Commissioner
“
In my view, whatever meaning is given to “journalism” I would not be sympathetic to the notion that information about, for instance, advertising revenue, property ownership or outgoings, financial debt, and the like would normally be “held for purposes … of journalism”. No doubt there can be said to be a link between such information and journalism: the more that is spent on wages, rent or interest payments, the less there is for programmes.
-
R v David Michael Shayler
“
"Necessary" has been strongly interpreted: it is not synonymous with "indispensable" neither has it the flexibility of such expressions as "admissible" "ordinary" "useful" "reasonable" or "desirable": Handyside v United Kingdom (1976) 1 EHRR 737, 754, para 48.
-
Office of Government Commerce v Information Commissioner
“
-
Is the Freedom of Information Act driving records management in further education colleges?
This article presents key findings from a JISC‐funded research project “Developing records management in further education: responding to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000”, c...
-
High Court considers whether FSA disclosures are exempt from freedom of information requests
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report and comment on the High Court ruling on whether Financial Services Authority (FSA) disclosures are exempt from freedom of information requests. Desi...
-
The End of the Beginning? The Freedom of Information Bill 1999
With the publication of its plans for a Bill on Freedom of Information, the new Labour government has been accused of abandoning its promise of greater openness in the way government is conducted i...
-
Records management in English local government: the effect of freedom of information
Purpose: University College London (UCL) ran a research project over 12 months in 2008‐2009, funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council, which examined what the impact of the UK Freedom ...
-
Freedom of Information Code of Practice Consultation
The Government is consulting on various revisions to the Code of Practice for public authorities on their obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the “Act“).
-
Cabinet Office Announces Commission to Review Freedom of Information Legislation
The Cabinet Office has recently announced that a cross-party commission is to look into the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”) in light of apparent concerns that sensitive information is not ...
-
Freedom of Information in the private sector?
The Confederation of British Industry (“CBI“) has revealed that it is developing “transparency guidelines” that will apply to private companies that provide services to the NHS (the “Guidelines“). ...
- Freedom Of Information