Freedom of Information: A Comparative Legal Survey - Federation of ...
Freedom of Information: A Comparative Legal Survey - Federation of ...
Freedom of Information: A Comparative Legal Survey - Federation of ...
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287. Formally the <strong>Freedom</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Information</strong> (Amendment) Bill. Available at: http://www.<br />
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmbills/062/2007062.pdf.<br />
288. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/2007/06/maclean_bill_lacks_a_lords_<br />
spo.html. See also: http://www.cfoi.org.uk/#other.<br />
289. See http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease251007c.htm.<br />
290. This is also implicit in the Code <strong>of</strong> Practice (see below), which stipulates that the<br />
purpose <strong>of</strong> providing assistance to applicants is to clarify the request, not to determine<br />
the motivation for the request (paragraph 9).<br />
291. Adopted on 25 November 2004. Available at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/reference/<br />
imprep/codepafunc.htm.<br />
292. The <strong>Freedom</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Information</strong> (Time for Compliance with Request) Regulations 2004,<br />
Statutory Instrument 2004 No. 3364, adopted in December 2004, extended the time<br />
limits for various bodies. Available at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2004/20043364.<br />
htm.<br />
293. See below, under Exceptions.<br />
294. The <strong>Freedom</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Information</strong> and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees)<br />
Regulations 2004, in force 1 January 2005, paragraph 6. Available at: http://www.opsi.<br />
gov.uk/si/si2004/20043244.htm.<br />
295. The proposals are available at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/consult/dpr2007/cp2806condoc.pdf.<br />
296. A number <strong>of</strong> different schemes have been adopted and are available at: http://www.ico.<br />
gov.uk/Home/what_we_cover/freedom_<strong>of</strong>_information/publication_schemes/model_<br />
schemes.aspx.<br />
297. The <strong>Freedom</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Information</strong> (Removal and Relaxation <strong>of</strong> Statutory Prohibitions on<br />
Disclosure <strong>of</strong> <strong>Information</strong>) Order 2004, which came into force on 1 January 2005.<br />
Available at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2004/20043363.htm.<br />
298. This law has been widely criticised. See, for example, ARTICLE 19 and Liberty, Secrets,<br />
Spies and Whistleblowers: <strong>Freedom</strong> <strong>of</strong> Expression and National Security in the United<br />
Kingdom (2000, London, ARTICLE 19 and Liberty).<br />
299. See http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease251007c.htm.<br />
300. This is in addition to the total exclusion from the ambit <strong>of</strong> the Law <strong>of</strong> those security<br />
bodies. See above, under Scope.<br />
301. Data Protection Act 1998, section 6(2).<br />
302. Data Protection Act 1998, section 6(4).<br />
303. In the form <strong>of</strong> the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, available at: http://www.opsi.<br />
gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980023.htm.<br />
304. Available at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/practitioner/index.htm.<br />
305. The 2006 Annual Report is available at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedo<br />
m<strong>of</strong>i nformationquarterly.htm .<br />
306. The 2007 Annual Report is available at: http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/<br />
library/corporate/detailed_specialist_guides/annual_report_2007.pdf.<br />
307. In the First Amendment, available at: http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1.<br />
308. Houchins v. KQED, Inc., 438 U.S. 1 (1978), p. 15.<br />
309. Sweden adopted legislation in 1776.<br />
310. The Swedish law originally covered Finland, then a Swedish-governed territory. Finland<br />
adopted its own protection for the right to information when it became independent in<br />
1919 and a fully-fl edged law in 1951.<br />
311. 5 U.S.C. § 552. Available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/foiastat.htm.<br />
312. An important amendment was the Electronic <strong>Freedom</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Information</strong> Act Amendments<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1996. Available at: http://epic.org/open_gov/efoia.html.<br />
313. S. 2488, 110th Cong., 1st Sess. Available at: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.<br />
xpd?bill=s110-2488. The bill was signed into law by the President on 31 December<br />
2007.<br />
314. See below for information on the various laws relating to whistleblowers.<br />
315. 5 U.S.C. § 552a. Available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/privstat.htm.<br />
316. 5 U.S.C. § 552b. Available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/gisastat.pdf.<br />
317. 5 U.S.C. App. II. Available at: http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_BASIC/<br />
without_annotations_R2G-b4T_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.pdf.<br />
139