§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they have received from the Information Commissioner about the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [HL1296]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)I invited the Information Commissioner to express her views on a timetable for the implementation of the Act based on the practical considerations for her office in advance of a decision being taken by the Government. She said that it would be sensible to implement the publication scheme and right of access provisions together on a phased timetable, largely following the structure of Schedule 1 to the Act. She also made it clear that it was for Government to decide on a timetable for implementation.
7WAThough I took into account the Information Commissioner's views, I also had to take into account the views of those who will be implementing the Act in the public sector and those of ministerial colleagues. The Government reached the view that it was right to implement the publication scheme provisions of the Act first as set out in the schedule I have placed in the House Library.
The Information Commissioner has welcomed the announcement of a firm timetable for the implementation for the Act.
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
What obstacles, if any, are impeding the bringing into force of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by October 2002 in relation to central government departments. [HL1297]
§ The Lord ChancellorThe Government have decided that the publication scheme provisions of the Act will be implemented for central government in November 2002 at the start of a rolling programme of implementation across the public sector. The individual right of access to information will be implemented for all public authorities at the end of this process in January 2005. This is the Government's preferred approach because it allows time for the required training to be undertaken and appropriate procedures to be put in place to ensure a workable Freedom of Information Act is implemented in a changed culture. It also aligns the implementation of the right of access provisions with the Government's target for the electronic records management project. This initiative will enable the fast retrieval and accurate creation and storage records that will be necessary to meet the demands of the Act.