The FOI Act, which gives individuals the statutory right to see
a massive amount of information held by Government departments and
thousands of public bodies, came into force on 1st January,
allowing anyone, of any nationality, and living anywhere in the
world, to make a written request for information and expect a
response within 20 working days.
The Act has been regarded by many in the public sector as an
obstacle but, according to Socitm's briefing, it should instead be
seen as making a positive contribution to the establishment of best
practice in the management of information within local authorities
and other public services.
The 16-page briefing is intended to remind managers that the
requirements of FOI "demand detailed thinking about a wide range of
information management issues". Examples include the need for
organisations to know what information they hold, whether it is
accurate and up-to-date, where such information can be found,
whether it is exempt from publication under FOI and the extent to
which the organisation can be open with its information.
The briefing is free to Socitm Insight subscribers and £25 to
non-members.
