Glossary

A

Absolute exemption
An exemption that is not subject to any qualification i.e. there is no need to apply the public interest test where information is covered by an Absolute exemption under the Act.

Accountability
For public servants this means:

    Answering to the public for the way they use their powers and carry out their duties.

    Accepting responsibility for any failure, incompetence, or deceit on their part.

    Taking any action necessary to correct mistakes.

Applicant
A person who requests information from a Public Authority.

C

Catalogue
An inventory of collections of information held by an Authority.

Category of information
Information held by a Public Authority must be indexed into classes which may then be further sub-divided into categories (or vice-versa).

Citizen's Advice Bureau
A professional national agency and registered charity which offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice to UK citizens.

Class of information
Information held by a Public Authority must be indexed into classes which may then be further sub-divided into categories (or vice-versa).

Code of Practice
Documented procedures and 'good practice' methods that will help people to comply with the Act.

Complaints policy
An Authority's documentation of procedures for dealing with complaints by applicants.

Contempt of Court
Disobedience or deliberate disregard of the judicial process.

Copyright
The ownership of intellectual or creative work.

The Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988
Legislation which, amongst other things, grants copyright owners exclusive rights to print, distribute and copy the work. Permission must be obtained by anyone to reuse the work in this way. Copyright is provided automatically to the author of any original work as soon as it is created.

D

Data Controller
This is the person or Authority which determines the purposes for which and the manner in which any personal data is or is to be processed. In most cases the employer will be the data controller.

The Data Protection Act 1998
Legislation which governs the rights of living individuals and responsibilities of data controllers regarding release of personal information.

DPO
Data Protection Officer - the person within the Authority who is responsible for compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

E

E-mail
Electronic mail - a communication system for sending and receiving text messages and attached files.

Enforcement Notice
A notice issued by the Information Commissioner to force a Public Authority to comply with the Act.

Exemption
A description, in the Freedom of Information Act, of one kind of information that we are not obliged to release under the Act.

F

FoI Officer
Freedom of Information Officer - otherwise known as the Information Compliance Officer, the person within the Authority who is responsible for compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

H

The Human Rights Act 1998
Legislation which, amongst other things, protects the rights of individuals to privacy in respect of their correspondence.

I

Information Commissioner
A UK independent supervisory Authority reporting directly to the UK parliament, the Information Commissioner is responsible for enforcing both the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts, spreading information about the Acts, encouraging Authorities to introduce codes of practice, and considering complaints and prosecuting offenders.

Information Compliance Officer
Otherwise known as the Freedom of Information Officer, the person within the Authority who is responsible for compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Information Tribunal
The Information Tribunal hears appeals by Public Authorities against enforcement notices issues by the Information Commissioner.

L

Lord Chancellor
The head of the legal profession and a member of the government, the Lord Chancellor has issued 2 codes of practice in relation to the Act, concerning access to information and the management of records. In 2003 the Lord Chancellor's Department was replaced by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

N

Non-Absolute exemption
The term sometimes used to describe an exemption which is not Absolute. The public interest test seriously limits the scope of these exemptions. Sometimes called a 'qualified' exemption.

O

Openness
Lack of secrecy about an organisation and its aims, resources and actions. Achieved by the publication of relevant information. Also called 'transparency'.

P

Personal data
Information relating to a living individual identifiable either by the data alone or together with other information which is in the possession or likely to come into the possession of the data controller.

Personnel
A body of employees.

Publication Scheme
A Publication Scheme is a guide to classes of information a Public Authority is committed to publishing, either now or in the future.

Public Authority
A body, person or holder of an office listed under the Act, and publicly owned companies. Examples include government departments, Local Authorities, NHS bodies (hospitals, doctor, dentists, pharmacists and opticians), schools, colleges and universities, the police, the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the National Assembly for Wales.

Public interest test
The process of assessing whether or not, on balance, the public will benefit from information being kept secret from them.

R

Records Management Code
Documentation of procedures for managing records within an Authority.

S

Statutory rights
Rights established in law.

T

Third Party
A third party means anyone other than the applicant.

Transparency
Lack of secrecy about an organisation and its aims, resources and actions. Achieved by the publication of relevant information. Also called 'openness'.

V

Vexatious
In its simplest form means 'annoying' or 'aggressive' BUT under the Act the term is not likely to be interpreted that simply. A request is NOT vexatious just because:

    The applicant takes an opportunity to vent his frustration

    It is difficult to see why the applicant would want the information.

    Considerable effort is required to retrieve the information.

Although the motives of the applicant in making the enquiry are irrelevant, look out for requests that can be shown to have been made habitually and without reasonable grounds. Consult the Information Compliance Officer if you have any doubts.