For asking UK Government for information see http://www.parliament.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/atgfi.htm
Home Office Freedom of Information Unit pages are also useful - http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/index.htm
A Home Office Advisory Group on Openness in the Public Sector produced a useful bibliography which is at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/survey.htm Further information about the Advisory Group is at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/foiadvgp.htm
The Government has published a Consultation Document on its proposals for a draft Freedom of Information Bill, Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for the Home Department by Command of Her Majesty, May 1999, Cm 4355 , at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/dfoibill.htm
The Draft Freedom of Information Bill is at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/dbill3.pdf
Your Right to Know: The Government's proposals for a Freedom of Information Act, Presented to Parliament by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by Command of Her Majesty, December 1997, Cm 3818, at http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/foi/foi.htm
Public Administration Select Committee, "Your Right to Know the Government's Proposals for a Freedom of Information Act - Volume I," Third Report, HC 398-I, 21 May 1998, at http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmpubadm/398-vol1/39802.htm
Government Response to the Third Report from the Select Committee on Public Administration (Session 1997-98) on Your Right to Know: The Government's Proposals for a Freedom of Information Act, 29 July 1998, Fourth Special Report, HC 1020, at http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmpubadm/1020/102002.htm
See further http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm/cmpubadm.htm for the work of the Public Administration Select Committee in relation to the Freedom of Information Bill.
Open Government Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, Second Edition 1997 is at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/ogcode981.htm
An explanatory leaflet is at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/foi/ogcode984.htm
The Parliamentary Ombudsman pages are at http://www.parliament.ombudsman.org.uk/ and he can be contacted at:
The Parliamentary Ombudsman
Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4PU
Helpline: 0171 217 4163
Fax: 0171 217 4160
E-mail:opca-enqu@ombudsman.org.uk
Seventh Report for Session 1998-99 - Annual Report 1998-99, 1 July, 1999 is at http://www.parliament.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/document/hc572/7121.htm
For the activities of the Ombudsman and how to complain see http://www.parliament.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/contents.htm
EU- Citizens Access Code to Commission documents - In order to enhance transparency and openness, the EU is promoting measures to open up the work of the Commission to public scrutiny. It has accordingly set up an electronic access code which provides guidance for citizens on how to apply for access to European Commission documents. Divided into two sections, the guide follows a question-and-answer format in order to explain access conditions to both official Commission publications and internal documents. Moreover, it also gives a clear outline of exceptions to the access rights by defining the types of documents which have to be withheld in order to protect specific public and private interests or to ensure that the Commission's work is not disrupted. The exceptions are to be found in the following areas: protection of the public interest, privacy, commercial and industrial secrecy, protection of the financial interests of the Community, protection of confidentiality of the Commission's internal deliberations and information suppliers. The Access Guide is available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/sg/citguide/en/citgu.htm
We support the
Campaign for Freedom of Information for a Freedom of Information
Act within the UK