Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Llew Smith (Labour) on Wednesday, 8 December 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 December 2004. It was answered by David Lammy (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 December 2004 on behalf of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Dept for Constitutional Affairs

Question
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans the Department has to publicise the opportunities available to obtain information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 after it enters into force on 1st January 2005.
Answer

Llew Smith: To ask the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans the Department has to publicise the opportunities available to obtain information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 after it enters into force on 1 January 2005. [204322] Mr. Lammy: Statutory responsibility for raising awareness of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act rests with the Information Commissioner's Office. The Commissioner's Office, which is independent of Government, has a programme of awareness raising events planned. The Government is committed to ensuring that the public can realise the benefits of the Act. Accordingly, in addition to the Information Commissioner's publicity activity my Department has been leading a variety of awareness raising activities. In the run-up to implementation of FOI, DCA Ministers are undertaking a programme of speeches, media interviews and articles which commenced in the autumn and is due to continue in 2005 to raise FOI awareness. The Government's FOI website, www.foi.gov.uk, is continually updated with FOI information and carries instructions on how to make an FOI request. My Department has also begun a programme of distributing 220,000 posters and 1.4 million leaflets to outlets visited by the public, for example public libraries, jobcentres and citizens advice bureaux. The posters will be in English and Welsh and the leaflets will be in English and 11 other languages including Welsh, in Braille and on audio cassette. All Government Departments and public authorities proactively release information to the public as part of their Publication Schemes (which are a requirement under the Freedom of Information Act) to support greater ongoing openness and raise awareness of rights under the Freedom of Information Act.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
204322; 428 c1632-3W;428 c1630-1W
Session
2004-05
Subjects
Freedom of information Government departments Publicity
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk