§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Prime Minister how many applications for information from(a) his Office and (b) the Office of Public Service have been made since 1 May 1997 under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information; what areas of work the applications covered; and how many applications have been turned down. [47880]
§ Dr. David ClarkI have been asked to reply.
Details of all requests made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information during the 1997 calendar year are set out in the 1997 Report on its operations which I published on 11 June. A copy is in the House Library.
The Code applies to, and informs the handling of, all requests for information to Government departments but for the purpose of monitoring, a Code request is defined as:
- a request which specifically mentions the Code; or
- a request for which a charge or standard fee is paid; or
- a request for which information is refused under one or more Code exemptions.
On this basis, the Office of Public Service received eight applications for information under the Code during the 1997 calendar year, of which two were turned down. No central record is kept of the areas of work concerned. The scope of the Code is based on the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 and although the Prime Minister's Office is not legally bound by this Act the Government have made it clear that they will treat requests for information to No. 10 as if they were covered by the Code.