Freedom of Information Act 2000
Part I Access to information held by public authorities
Right to information
1 General right of access to information held by public authorities.
2 Effect of the exemptions in Part II.
3 Public authorities.
4 Amendment of Schedule 1.
5 Further power to designate public authorities.
6 Publicly-owned companies.
7 Public authorities to which Act has limited application.
8 Request for information.
9 Fees.
10 Time for compliance with request.
11 Means by which communication to be made.
11ARelease of datasets for re-use
11BPower to charge fees in relation to release of datasets for re-use
12Exemption where cost of compliance exceeds appropriate limit.
13Fees for disclosure where cost of compliance exceeds appropriate limit.
14 Vexatious or repeated requests.
15 Special provisions relating to public records transferred to Public Record Office, etc.
16 Duty to provide advice and assistance.
Refusal of request
17 Refusal of request.
The Information Commissioner . . .
18The Information Commissioner . . .
Publication schemes
19 Publication schemes.
20 Model publication schemes.
Part II Exempt information
21 Information accessible to applicant by other means.
22 Information intended for future publication.
22AResearch
23 Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters.
24 National security.
25 Certificates under ss. 23 and 24: supplementary provisions.
26 Defence.
27 International relations.
28 Relations within the United Kingdom.
29 The economy.
30 Investigations and proceedings conducted by public authorities.
31 Law enforcement.
32 Court records, etc.
33 Audit functions.
34 Parliamentary privilege.
35 Formulation of government policy, etc.
36 Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs.
37 Communications with Her Majesty, etc. and honours.
38 Health and safety.
39 Environmental information.
40 Personal information.
41 Information provided in confidence.
42 Legal professional privilege.
43 Commercial interests.
44 Prohibitions on disclosure.
Part III General functions of Chancellor of the Duchy, Secretary of State and Information Commissioner
45 Issue of code of practice by Chancellor of the Duchy by Secretary of State.
46 Issue of code of practice by Secretary of State.
47 General functions of Commissioner.
48 Recommendations as to good practice.
49 Reports to be laid before Parliament.
Part IV Enforcement
50 Application for decision by Commissioner.
51 Information notices.
52 Enforcement notices.
53 Exception from duty to comply with decision notice or enforcement notice.
54 Failure to comply with notice.
55 Powers of entry and inspection.
56 No action against public authority.
Part V Appeals
57 Appeal against notices served under Part IV.
58 Determination of appeals.
59 Appeals from decision of Tribunal.
60 Appeals against national security certificate.
61 Appeal proceedings.
Part VI Historical records and records in Public Record Office or Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
62 Interpretation of Part VI.
63 Removal of exemptions: historical records generally.
64 Removal of exemptions: historical records in public record offices.
65 Decisions as to refusal of discretionary disclosure of historical records.
66 Decisions relating to certain transferred public records.
67 Amendments of public records legislation.
Part VII Amendments of Data Protection Act 1998
Amendments relating to personal information held by public authorities
68 Extension of meaning of “data”.
69 Right of access to unstructured personal data held by public authorities.
70 Exemptions applicable to certain manual data held by public authorities.
71 Particulars registrable under Part III of Data Protection Act 1998.
72 Availability under Act disregarded for purpose of exemption.
Other amendments
73 Further amendments of Data Protection Act 1998.
Part VIII Miscellaneous and supplemental
74 Power to make provision relating to environmental information.
75 Power to amend or repeal enactments prohibiting disclosure of information.
76 Disclosure of information between Commissioner and ombudsmen.
76ADisclosure between Commissioner and Scottish Information Commissioner
77 Offence of altering etc. records with intent to prevent disclosure.
78 Saving for existing powers.
79 Defamation.
80 Scotland.
80AInformation held by Northern Ireland bodies
81 Application to government departments, etc.
82 Orders and regulations.
83 Meaning of “Welsh public authority”.
84 Interpretation.
85 Expenses.
86 Repeals.
87 Commencement.
88 Short title and extent.
SCHEDULES
SCHEDULE 1 Public authorities
Part I General
1Any government department other than (a) the Competition and Markets...
1ZAThe Competition and Markets Authority, in respect of information held...
1AThe Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills,...
2The House of Commons , in respect of information other...
3The House of Lords , in respect of information other...
4The Northern Ireland Assembly.
5The National Assembly for Wales, in respect of information other...
5Athe Welsh Assembly Government.
6The armed forces of the Crown, except—
Part II Local government
England and Wales
7A local authority within the meaning of the Local Government...
8The Greater London Authority.
9The Common Council of the City of London, in respect...
10The Sub-Treasurer of the Inner Temple or the Under-Treasurer of...
11The Council of the Isles of Scilly.
12A parish meeting constituted under section 13 of the Local...
13Any charter trustees constituted under section 246 of the Local...
14A fire and rescue authority constituted by a scheme under...
15A waste disposal authority established by virtue of an order...
15A England and Wales
16A port health authority constituted by an order under section...
17 England and Wales
18An internal drainage board which is continued in being by...
19A joint authority established under Part IV of the Local...
19AAn economic prosperity board established under section 88 of the...
19BA combined authority established under section 103 of that Act....
20The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.
21A joint fire authority established by virtue of an order...
22A body corporate established pursuant to an order under section...
23A body corporate established pursuant to an order under section...
24The Broads Authority established by section 1 of the Norfolk...
25A joint committee constituted in accordance with section 102(1)(b) of...
26A joint board which is continued in being by virtue...
27A joint authority established under section 21 of the Local...
28A Passenger Transport Executive for an integrated transport area for...
28AA sub-national transport body established under section 102E of the...
29Transport for London.
30The London Transport Users Committee.
31A joint board the constituent members of which consist of...
32A National Park authority established by an order under section...
33A joint planning board constituted for an area in Wales...
33AA strategic planning panel established under section 60D of the...
34 England and Wales
35 England and Wales
35A England and Wales
35BAn inshore fisheries and conservation authority for a district established...
35CAn urban development corporation established under section 135 of the...
35DA Mayoral development corporation established under section 198 of the...
35EA Local Healthwatch organisation, in respect of information held in...
Northern Ireland
36A district council within the meaning of the Local Government...
Part III The National Health Service
England and Wales
36A The National Health Service
37 The National Health Service
37AThe National Health Service Commissioning Board.
37BA clinical commissioning group established under section 14D of the...
38A special health authority established under section 28 of the...
39 The National Health Service
39AA Local Health Board established under section 11 of the...
40A National Health Service trust established under section 25 of...
40AAn NHS foundation trust.
41A Community Health Council established under section 182 of the...
41A The National Health Service
42 The National Health Service
43 The National Health Service
43AAny person providing primary medical services , primary dental services...
44Any person providing general medical services, general dental services, general...
45Any person providing personal medical services or personal dental services...
45AAny person providing local pharmaceutical services under—
45B The National Health Service
Northern Ireland
46A Health and Social Services Board established under Article 16...
47A Health and Social Services Council established under Article 4...
48A Health and Social Services Trust established under Article 10...
49A special agency established under Article 3 of the Health...
50The Northern Ireland Central Services Agency for the Health and...
51Any person providing primary medical services, general dental services, general...
51AThe Regional Business Services Organisation established under section 14 of...
51BThe Patient and Client Council established under section 16 of...
51CThe Regional Health and Social Care Board established under section...
51DThe Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being established...
Part IV Maintained schools and other educational institutions
England and Wales
52The governing body of— (a) a maintained school, as defined...
52A(1) The proprietor of an Academy, in respect of information...
53(1) The governing body of— (a) an institution within the...
Northern Ireland
54(1) The managers of— (a) a controlled school, voluntary school...
55(1) The governing body of— (a) a university receiving financial...
56Any person providing further education to whom grants, loans or...
Part V Police
England and Wales
57A police and crime commissioner.
58The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime.
59A chief officer of police of a police force in...
Northern Ireland
60The Northern Ireland Policing Board.
61The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland....
Miscellaneous
62The British Transport Police.
63The Ministry of Defence Police established by section 1 of...
63AThe Civil Nuclear Police Authority.
63BThe chief constable of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
64Any person who— (a) by virtue of any enactment has...
Part VI Other public bodies and offices: general
The Adjudication Panel for Wales. ... The adjudicators appointed under...
Part VII Other public bodies and offices: Northern Ireland
An advisory committee established under paragraph 25 of the Health...
SCHEDULE 2 The Commissioner and the Tribunal
Part I Provision consequential on s. 18(1) and (2)
General
1(1) Any reference in any enactment, instrument or document to...
1AThe Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills,...
2(1) Any reference in this Act or in any instrument...
Public Records Act 1958 (c. 51)
3(1) In Part II of the Table in paragraph 3...
Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c. 13)
4In Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (departments...
5In Schedule 4 to that Act (tribunals exercising administrative functions),...
Superannuation Act 1972 (c. 11)
6In Schedule 1 to the Superannuation Act 1972 (employment with...
Consumer Credit Act 1974 (c. 39)
7In section 159 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (correction...
House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24)
8(1) In Part II of Schedule 1 to the House...
Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 25)
9(1) In Part II of Schedule 1 to the Northern...
Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 (c. 53)
10In paragraph 14 of Part I of Schedule 1 to...
Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (c. 8)
11In Schedule 5 to the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act...
12In Schedule 7 to that Act (retirement dates: transitional provisions),...
Data Protection Act 1998 (c. 29)
13(1) Section 6 of the Data Protection Act 1998 (the...
14In section 70(1) of that Act (supplementary definitions)—
15(1) Schedule 5 to that Act (the Data Protection Commissioner...
Part II Amendments relating to extension of functions of Commissioner and Tribunal
Interests represented by lay members of Tribunal
16In section 6(6) of the Data Protection Act 1998 (lay...
Expenses incurred under this Act excluded in calculating fees
17In section 26(2) of that Act (fees regulations), in paragraph...
Information provided to Commissioner or Tribunal
18In section 58 of that Act (disclosure of information to...
19(1) Section 59 of that Act (confidentiality of information) is...
Deputy commissioners
20(1) Paragraph 4 of Schedule 5 to that Act (officers...
Exercise of Commissioner’s functions by others
21(1) Paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 to that Act (exercise...
Money
22In paragraph 9(1) of Schedule 5 to that Act (money)...
SCHEDULE 3 Powers of entry and inspection
Issue of warrants
1(1) If a circuit judge or a District Judge (Magistrates'...
2(1) A judge shall not issue a warrant under this...
3A judge who issues a warrant under this Schedule shall...
Execution of warrants
4A person executing a warrant issued under this Schedule may...
5A warrant issued under this Schedule shall be executed at...
6(1) If the premises in respect of which a warrant...
7(1) A person seizing anything in pursuance of a warrant...
Matters exempt from inspection and seizure
8The powers of inspection and seizure conferred by a warrant...
9(1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, the powers...
10If the person in occupation of any premises in respect...
Return of warrants
11A warrant issued under this Schedule shall be returned to...
Offences
12Any person who— (a) intentionally obstructs a person in the...
Vessels, vehicles etc.
13In this Schedule “premises” includes any vessel, vehicle, aircraft or...
Scotland and Northern Ireland
14In the application of this Schedule to Scotland—
15In the application of this Schedule to Northern Ireland—
SCHEDULE 4
Constitution of Tribunal in national security cases
1In paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 6 to the Data Protection...
2For paragraph 3 of that Schedule there is substituted—
Constitution of Tribunal in other cases
3(1) Paragraph 4 of that Schedule (constitution of Tribunal in...
Rules of procedure
4(1) Paragraph 7 of that Schedule (rules of procedure) is...
SCHEDULE 5 Amendments of public records legislation
Part I Amendments of Public Records Act 1958
Functions of Advisory Council on Public Records
1In section 1 of the Public Records Act 1958 (general...
Access to public records
2(1) Section 5 of that Act (access to public records)...
3Schedule 2 of that Act (enactments prohibiting disclosure of information...
Power to extend meaning of “public records”
4In Schedule 1 to that Act (definition of public records)...
Part II Amendment of Public Records Act (Northern Ireland) 1923
5After section 5 of the Public Records Act (Northern Ireland)...
SCHEDULE 6 Further amendments of Data Protection Act 1998
Request by data controller for further information
1In section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998 (right...
Parliament
2After section 35 of that Act there is inserted— Parliamentary...
3After section 63 of that Act there is inserted— Application...
4In Schedule 2 to that Act (conditions relevant for the...
5In Schedule 3 to that Act (conditions relevant for the...
Honours
6In Schedule 7 to that Act (miscellaneous exemptions) in paragraph...
Legal professional privilege
7In paragraph 10 of that Schedule (legal professional privilege), for...
Extension of transitional exemption
8In Schedule 14 to that Act (transitional provisions), in paragraph...
SCHEDULE 7 Disclosure of information by ombudsmen
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
1At the end of section 11 of the Parliamentary Commissioner...
2After section 11A of that Act there is inserted— Disclosure...
The Commissions for Local Administration in England and Wales
3In section 32 of the Local Government Act 1974 (law...
4After section 33 of that Act there is inserted— Disclosure...
The Health Service Commissioners
5At the end of section 15 of the Health Service...
6After section 18 of that Act there is inserted— Disclosure...
The Welsh Administration Ombudsman
7In Schedule 9 to the Government of Wales Act 1998...
8After paragraph 27 of that Schedule there is inserted— Disclosure...
The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints
9At the end of Article 21 of the Commissioner for...
10After that Article there is inserted— Disclosure of information to...
The Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
11At the end of Article 19 of the Ombudsman (Northern...
12After that Article there is inserted— Disclosure of information to...
The Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland
13In section 30 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975...
SCHEDULE 8 Repeals
Part I Repeal coming into force on passing of Act
Part II Repeals coming into force in accordance with section 87(2)
Part III Repeals coming into force in accordance with section 87(3)

Royal arms

Freedom of Information Act 2000

2000 CHAPTER 36

An Act to make provision for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them and to amend the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Public Records Act 1958; and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—