Information is published

Each resource below is listed by type, and details the resource name, owner (in brackets), brief description and link.

This resource base is intended to be a ‘living document’. If you wish to contribute a resource or comment on the accuracy of any of these resources please email: information.management@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Legislation

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Ministry of Justice/Information Commissioner’s Office) UK government legislation defining what information public sector organisations are obliged to provide on request. In order to meet the obligations of the Act, public bodies must have effective information and records management processes in place; there is a code of practice for dealing with Freedom of Information requests under section 45 of the Act.

Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (Defra) – The Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) give the general public certain rights of access to environmental information. The definition of environmental information in the EIRs is very wide and includes information that might not be considered environmental at first glance. EIRs only cover environmental information – Freedom of Information covers all information held by public authorities.

Guidance

Open Government Licence (The National Archives) – The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO) has developed this licence as a tool to enable information providers in the public sector to license the use and re-use of their information under a common open licence. The Controller invites public sector bodies owning their own copyright and database rights to permit the use of their information under this licence. It is recommended that this is the default for published information.

Public Data Cooperation (Cabinet Office) – The Corporation will, for the first time, bring together government bodies and data into one organisation and provide an unprecedented level of easily accessible public information and drive further efficiency in the delivery of public services.

data.gov.uk (Cabinet Office) – The government is releasing public data to help people understand how government works and how policies are made. Some of this data is already available, but data.gov.uk brings it together in one searchable website. Making this data easily available means it will be easier for people to make decisions and suggestions about government policies based on detailed information.

DoH Information Centre (Department of Health) – Example of information publication website from the Department of Health.

Transparent Government, Not Transparent Citizens: A Report on Privacy and Transparency for the Cabinet Office (Cabinet Office) – In December 2010, a review was conducted around the issues for privacy that were raised by the Coalition government’s transparency programme. Experts in government, civil society activists, academics and many others were consulted to try to reconcile the desire for open government with the privacy of individual citizens. Fourteen recommendations are made in this document.

Disclosure Control Policy for Social Survey Microdata (Office for National Statistics) – This policy provides guidance on releasing microdata in accordance with the CoP and specifically Principle 5: Confidentiality.

Communique on Principles for Internet Policy-Making (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) – The Seoul Declaration on the Future of the Internet Economy adopted at the 2008 OECD Ministerial on the Future of the Internet Economy recognised that the internet provides an open, decentralised platform for communication, collaboration, innovation, creativity, productivity improvement and economic growth.

The National Archives’ publishing guidance (The National Archives) – The National Archives provides a wide range of guidance about official publications as part of a series of guidance notes designed to guide, alert and advise on a range of publishing, copyright and access matters.

Code of Practice for Official Statistics (UKSA) – In a highly decentralised statistical service, the Code will serve to establish common standards and, by so doing, help to ensure a coherent and trustworthy service to the user of statistics.

Making Open Data Real: A Public Consultation (Cabinet Office) – The Open Data consultation paper sets out the government’s proposed approach for transparency and open data strategy, which is aimed at establishing a culture of openness and transparency in public services.

Open Public Services (Cabinet Office) – This series brings together all documents relating to choice and opening up public services.

Examples and best practice

Open Government Licence (The National Archives) – The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO) has developed this licence as a tool to enable information providers in the public sector to license the use and re-use of their information under a common open licence. The Controller invites public sector bodies owning their own copyright and database rights to permit the use of their information under this licence. It is recommended that this is the default for published information.

Legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) – The official home of UK legislation.

TheyWorkForYou (MySociety) – Hansard and official reports for the UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly, Welsh Senedd and London Assembly.