View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
April 7, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Press will test information law from start’

By Press Gazette

Frankel: officers must be ready

The long-awaited Freedom of Information Act looks set to be widely tested out by the press as soon as it comes into force next January.

The Campaign for Freedom of Information has revealed plans to contact every newspaper editor in the country, setting out how they can test the new law with their local councils.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 comes into law in January 2005, bringing into force new rights on access to information held by public bodies.

CFOI director Maurice Frankel told a conference of local government officers: “We are going to write to every newspaper in the country, explaining the act, offering training on the act and explaining what they can do to put the act to the test.”

He added: “You are going to be tested on this legislation the moment it comes into force by your local newspapers, by national newspapers, by local groups of various kinds. It’s going to be on the front page if you don’t do it properly.”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Frankel warned council officers that they would be given short shrift by the press if they were not ready to comply with the first Freedom of Information Act requests.

He said: “Bear in mind this act was passed in November 2000. By the time it comes into force in January 2005, you will have had four years and two months. You have been given longer to prepare for this legislation than any other country.”

The law will provide the press with a legal right to demand information held by public bodies for the first time.

It states that public authorities must first reveal whether the information asked for is being held and then communicate it to the person who has made the request.

The act sets a time limit of 20 working days for the public authority concerned to reply. If it wants to refuse an information request, it has to set out the reasons why. There will be a right of appeal to the new office of the Information Commissioner.

The act has been criticised by journalists because of the large number of information categories exempted from it.

There are 24 in total, including: security matters, international relations, the economy, law enforcement, audit functions, health and safety and anything “prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs.

By Dominic Ponsford

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network