§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy on open Government with reference to(a) his Department, (b) its agencies, (c) its non-departmental public bodies and (d) corporate organisations within his Department's control; and what steps he plans to take to encourage the provision of information by such bodies. [51483]
703W
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Department, together with its Executive Agencies and its executive-NDPBs which come under the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, are subject to the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Ordnance Survey, the Office of the Passenger Rail Franchising, the Office of the Rail Regulator and the Office of Water Services also come within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner and are subject to the Code.
Those quasi-NDPBs, public corporations and nationalised industries which do not come within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner have their own arrangements on open government but are encouraged by the Department to follow the spirit of the Code.
The Department, and other bodies under its control with public responsibilities, also have a statutory duty to provide information on the environment under the Environmental Information Regulations 1992.
The Department, its Agencies, NDPBs, public corporations and nationalised industries are considering how to prepare for the requirements of the Freedom of Information legislation.