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Last night, the Freedom of Information Bill received Royal Assent.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 will be implemented in stages:
it is likely that public authorities currently subject to the
Code of Practice on Access to Government Information will be
the first authorities required to comply.
The Data Protection Commissioner, Elizabeth France will take
up the position of Information Commissioner, when this provision
within the Act comes into force at the end of January, 2001.
She will have dual responsibility for data protection and freedom
of information issues. Both laws relate to aspects of information
policy and they come together at the point where personal information
is considered for disclosure.
Speaking from her offices in Wilmslow, Cheshire, Elizabeth
France welcomed the Act: "This Act provides a statutory
right to information held by public authorities and presents
an important milestone in broadening the provision of rights
in the information area. The Office of the Information Commissioner
will be able to provide an integrated, coherent approach to
good practice, bringing together the different strands of information
handling covered by both the freedom of information and data
protection regimes."
The Information Commissioner will be an independent authority,
with a statutory duty to promote good practice by public authorities
and to disseminate information on good practice.
Mrs France added: "We are looking forward to expanding
this office's responsibilities. We are well practised in balancing
individual rights with the legal obligations of organisations.
The skills and expertise acquired over the past fifteen years
in implementing data protection legislation will help provide
a firm footing upon which these new responsibilities can be
implemented."
Further Information.
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner's website is
at www.dataprotection.gov.uk
The Data Protection Commissioner will publish advice and guidance
on the Freedom of Information Act on her website as and when
it becomes available. Initial advice on the Act is available
under the guidance and other publications section of the website.
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