§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the MOD; and if he will make a statement. [44737]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Ministry of Defence and armed forces are, with the exception of the Special Forces, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Work is under way to ensure that we are ready for implementation of the rights and obligations it creates. A pilot version of MOD's publication scheme was released in February and this is now being reviewed in light of comments from users and guidance which has recently been issued by the information commissioner under s.47(2) of the Act. More widely, the preparatory work will involve education of all relevant personnel about the key provisions; establishing or modifying procedures in order to support compliance; and ensuring that the status under the Act of all types of information held by MOD is understood both within the Department and, where appropriate, by external bodies. In addition, it is recognised that successful implementation will be dependent on developing a more open outlook and that achieving this culture change must also be an integral part of the agenda. In a Department as large and wide-ranging as MOD this represents a significant programme which, we assess, will require the full lead time provided by the implementation timetable which my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor announced on 13 November 2001.