freedom of information

laws which permit citizens to obtain information held by government. The UK first admitted the principle by virtue of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The legislation gives the right to request information from public authorities. It is intended to promote a culture of openness and accountability amongst public sector bodies, and facilitate better public understanding of how public authorities carry out their duties, why they make the decisions they do, and how they spend public money. It is achieved in two main ways. First, bodies subject to the scheme should initiate publication schemes to release information without being asked. Secondly, bodies subject to the scheme must respond to requests from persons in writing or other permanent form. A fee maybe charged. There is an obvious conflict with DATA PROTECTION law, but in the UK such problems may be resolved by the fact that the INFORMATION COMMISSIONER has been made responsible for both freedom of information and data protection.

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References in periodicals archive ?

Since President Duterte issued an executive order providing for freedom of information in the executive branch, the Presidential Communications Operation Office (PCOO) has been busy informing stakeholders about the value of exercising this right.

Transparent government

The decision to celebrate this day was made on September 28, 2002 at the Freedom of Information litigation conference in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Int'l Right to Know Day observed on Wednesday

Legislation to establish the Office of the Information Commissioner will be introduced into Parliament shortly, delivering on the Labor Governments election commitment to overhaul freedom of information, including: the ability to review Ministerial and Departmental decisions including under Cabinet exemptions, reducing the time to respond to an FOI request from 45 days to 30 days, reducing the time that agencies have to seek VCATs review from 60 days to 14 days.

Australia : Improving Transparency for Victorians

The Freedom of Information Act became law in 2000 and allows people to demand information from public bodies, such as local councils, the police or the government, about what they are doing.

U-turn on public's right to know; government in climbdown over freedom of information act after campaign

We see the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act being chipped away at all the time, which is why we can no longer give Arkansas Business readers the data on restaurant sales that they enjoyed for decades.

Freedom of information at work

Until such time as local councils do what is right in terms of publication rather than having to do what they have to, then an unchanged Freedom of Information Act is essential to hold public authorities in Wales to account.

Councils should be more transparent; LETTERS

Lucy Gill, NMA's legal, policy, regulatory affairs advisor, said: "The Freedom of Information Act has done more than any other to help the free press and the public it serves to hold power to account.

Commission to look at Information Act charge

Private firms delivering public services are exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, and the Information Commissioner has no investigative powers in relation to private contractors.

'Tackle the secrecy' says MP

COMPLAINTS about freedom of information requests jumped 14 per cent last year, Scotland's information tsar said yesterday.

COUNCILS KEEP PUBLIC WAITING FOR ANSWERS

It will also discuss issues related to freedom of information and professional practices of media, in light of the political changes in Tunisia.

TAP to hold Forum on 'News Agency: Freedom of Information and Professional Ethics'

Davis also has served as executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, and as executive director of the Freedom of Information Center at the University of Missouri.

University of Georgia

Shoaib Suddle has ordered the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to fully implement the provisions of Freedom of Information Act 2002 and supply information about tax matters to all applicants from general public asking for such information It was their right under the provisions of said law and cannot be denied.

FEDERAL TAX OMBUDSMAN DIRECTS THE FBR NOT TO WITHHOLD INFORMATION ABOUT TAX PAYERS