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Welsh Office

Answer

Mr. Rhodri Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 1998, Official Report, columns 255-56 what guidelines have been issued to non-departmental bodies which he sponsors in relation to the time taken to respond to requests for assistance from the Parliamentary Commissioner under the Code of Practice on Requests for Government Information; what action he plans to take in respect of the length of time taken by bodies to supply information to the Parliamentary Commissioner; and if he will make a statement. [49463] Mr. Ron Davies: The following general guidance has been issued to Chief Executive Officers of non-departmental public bodies: CEO 8/94 A copy of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information together with the Welsh Office Citizen's Charter leaflet on Open Government. CEO 29/94 The bilingual version of the Code of Practice. CEO 39/94 Summaries of recent Ombudsman cases relating to the Open Government Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. CEO 10/96 "Handling of Complaints" guidance accompanied by the Citizen's Charter Complaints Task Force documents "Putting Things Right" and "Good Practice Guide". CEO 30/96 Office of Public Service Guidance on Redress Under the Citizen's Charter. CEO 4/97 Revised Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Second Edition). CEO 16/97 Complaints Review Arrangements in Public Services. The Code of Practice states that responses to requests for information should be provided as soon as is practicable. The target for responses to simple requests is 20 working days from the date of receipt. I have no plans to issue further guidance at this time.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

315 c506-7W; 49463

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Codes of practice Freedom of information Non-departmental public bodies Cardiff Bay barrage Welsh Office

Contains statistics

Yes