What can be requested under the Freedom of Information Act?
What can be requested under the Freedom of Information Act?
Under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations you have a right to request any recorded information held by a public authority, such as a government department, local council or state school. You can ask for any information you think a public authority may hold.
How much does a Freedom of Information request cost UK?
The total cost across central government of dealing with FOI requests is £24.4 million per year. The total cost of dealing with these requests is estimated to be around £11.1 million per year. Wider public services receive around 87,000 FOI requests annually, more than twice the number handled by central government.
Can I refuse a Freedom of Information request?
Conditional exemptions They can’t refuse access to a document solely because it meets a conditional exemption, it must also be against the public interest. Conditional exemptions may apply to a document that has: personal information that would be unreasonable to disclose.
How do I apply for freedom of information?
You must put your request in writing to the agency or minister that holds the document you want to access. Some agencies have an FOI request form on their website for you to complete and send to them. When you write to the agency or minister: state that you’re requesting access to information under the FOI Act.
What are the nine exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act UK?
Non-absolute Exemptions – public interest test does apply:
| Section of the FOI Act | Exemption |
|---|---|
| S(2) 36 | Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs |
| S(2) 38 | Health & Safety |
| S(2) 39 | Environmental information |
| S(2) 40 | Personal information relating to a third party |
Who is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act?
Where a company is wholly owned by a number of local authorities it is also now a public authority for the purposes of FOIA. Individual MPs, assembly members or councillors are not covered by the Act.
Does it cost to make a Freedom of Information request?
In summary, public authorities cannot charge a standard fee for FOI or EIR requests – they can only charge for disbursements or for requests which cost more than the ‘acceptable limit’ (£600 for central government; £450 for all other public authorities).
How much is a FOIA request?
The FOIA permits HHS to charge fees to FOIA requesters. For noncommercial requesters, HHS may charge only for the actual cost of searching for records and the cost of making copies. Search fees usually range from about $23 to $83 per hour, depending upon the salary levels of the personnel needed for the search.
What if a Freedom of Information request is ignored?
There are no financial or custodial penalties for failure to provide information on request or for failure to publish information. But you could be found in contempt of court for failing to comply with a decision notice, enforcement notice, or information notice.
How much does it cost for a Freedom of Information request?
Freedom of Information requests – used by campaigners and journalists to ask questions of public bodies – are to remain free of charge, a minister says. Following a review of the law, Cabinet Office minister Matt Hancock said the FoI Act was “working well”.
Who does freedom of information apply to?
Which organisations are covered by the Freedom of Information Act? The Act covers central government departments and the executive agencies and public bodies they sponsor. It also covers parliament, the armed forces, devolved administrations, local authorities, the NHS, schools, universities and police forces.
Who is subject to a Freedom of Information request?
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives you the right to ask any public sector organisation for all the recorded information they have on any subject. The Data Protection Act 1998 gives any individual (data subject) the right to request access to all the information held about them. This is a Subject Access Request.
How do you submit a FOIA request?
If the information you want is not publicly available, you can submit a FOIA request to the agency’s FOIA Office. The request simply must be in writing and reasonably describe the records you seek. Most federal agencies now accept FOIA requests electronically, including by web form, e-mail or fax.
How to submit a FOIA request?
Online Form – The preferred method is to submit your request using the FOIAonline platform.
How do you request Freedom of Information Act?
Freedom of Information Act. To make a FOIA request pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 0.461, you have several options: You may submit your request electronically through FOIAonline. Choose “Make a FOIA Request” and, using the drop down menu, select Federal Communications Commission. You may write to us via surface mail.
What is FOIA online?
FOIAonline is a web-based application that facilitates acceptance, tracking, processing, and. reporting of public requests to the Office of Information Policy (OIP).