§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish their project initation document referred to in Freedom of Information (annual report on bringing fully into force those provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which are not yet fully in force) November 2003. [HL1493]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Lord Filkin)The Department for Constitutional Affairs' project initation document on implementation of the162WA Freedom of Information Act will be published on the department's website, www.dca.gov.uk, in March 2004. Copies will also be made available in the Library of both Houses.
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which departments have not produced detailed training plans for their staff under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [HL1495]
§ Lord FilkinThe most recent annual report on implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, published in November 2003, includes a progress report on cultural change, training and awareness. The report states that a majority of departments have begun the first stages of their training programmes and many are embarking on a training needs analysis to examine precisely what training will be required. Some departments have already produced detailed training plans for their staff and all are confident that by 2005 all staff will have received Freedom of Information training in one form or another. The report goes on to provide a number of examples of departmental FOI training.
Since the end of 2003, I have been holding bilateral meetings to discuss departments' preparations for full implementation of the 2000 Act. Bilateral meetings have been held with Ministers responsible for implementing freedom of information in the following departments:
- Cabinet Office;
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport;
- Department for Education and Skills;
- Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
- Department of Health;
- Department for International Development;
- Department of Trade and Industry;
- Department for Transport;
- Department for Work and Pensions;
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office;
- Home Office;
- Ministry of Defence;
- Northern Ireland Office; and
- The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
In addition, I am due to host a bilateral with my ministerial colleague from HM Treasury on 10 March.
On the basis of the information I have seen, I am satisfied that all departments are taking steps both to raise general awareness about the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and to give detailed training to staff as appropriate.
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will publish a model action plan on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for use across the public sector. [HL1496]
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§ Lord FilkinThe department published the model action plan for the preparation for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act in December 2003. It is aimed at all public authorities covered by the Act. Copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses, and are available on the department's website.
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish the Information Commissioner's project plan referred to in paragraph 3.1.2 of the Freedom of Information (Annual report of bringing fully into force those provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which are not yet fully in force) November 2003. [HL1497]
§ Lord FilkinThe Information Commissioner's project plan features as part of the Information Commissioner's publication scheme. It is also available on the commissioner's website: www.information commissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id = 4044
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish the minutes of proceedings of the Advisory Group on Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [HL1532]
§ Lord FilkinMinutes of the proceedings of the Advisory Group on Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 feature as part of the department's publication scheme in the class: "Agendas, papers and minutes of the meetings of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Group on Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000."
They are also available on the department's website: www.dca.gov.uk/foi/map/modactplan.htm
§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they will take to ensure that, where government departments and other public authorities within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 decide not to supply information to the public free of charge, they will impose only charges in respect of costs reasonably attributable to the supply of information, and will make publicly available details of the charges to be levied. [HL1533]
§ Lord FilkinThe Government will make regulations under the Act in relation to fees as prescribed by the Act. It will be for the Information Commissioner to adjudicate on complaints that public authorities, including government departments, have instituted charges not in compliance with the regulations. Any charges that are levied will be a matter between the public authority and the applicant and the Government have no plans to require that these be164WA made public. However, my department will be monitoring government departments' performance in relation to compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. Data on fees will be collected as part of this.