Data Protection vs. Freedom of Information

CHAPTER 2: OVERVIEW OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

Because the Freedom of Information Act is essentially about open and accountable government, it applies directly only to ‘public authorities’. The Act establishes a list of public authorities, and makes provision for organisations to be added to or removed from the list as required¹.

It also provides for two other categories of public authority. These are:

•  bodies not eligible for the main list, but which are designated by the Secretary of State because they are exercising ‘functions of a public nature’ or ‘providing under a contract made with a public authority any service whose provision is a function of that authority’ (s.5 of the Act);

•  publicly owned companies (s.6 of the Act).