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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 March 2020
Typical questions
• How do I make an FOI request?
• How many wildlife law enforcement officers did Stoke-on-Trent council employ in 2018?
Starting points
• Freedom of information (FOI) legislation ensures citizens can access information from public bodies. In the UK these include central and local government departments, the NHS, the armed forces, state-funded schools and the regulators of bodies such as charities, businesses and other organisations. However, there are exceptions and students need guidance on what kinds of material can be obtained, the information they need to make a request and the timescales.
• Do advise students to check that what they need is not already in the public sphere before making a request. Many government websites have FOI sections where recently requested documents can be consulted.
• The websites listed below are all good starting points with guides to read before making a request.
Recommended resources
Key organisations – UK
Information Commissioner's Office
ico.org.uk
UK public body offering guides for the public and public organisations on rights and responsibilities relating to freedom of information.
National Archives
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/freedom-of-information
Offers advice for researchers relating to the opening of closed government files.
WhatDoTheyKnow [Basic]
www.whatdotheyknow.com
Maintained by the mySociety charity. Designed to help citizens make requests and access recent requests. Excellent guides on getting started as well as examples of recent successful requests.
Key organisations – US
National Archives and Records Administration Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
www.archives.gov/foia/foia-guide.html
Clear guidance on all stages of the process from the federal government. There is also a FOIA reading room with examples of recent and frequently requested items.
National Security Archive – FOIA resources
nsarchive.gwu.edu/project/foia
Directory of useful guides and websites covering all aspects of FOIA, compiled by a specialist unit based at George Washington University.
International
Freedominfo.org
www.freedominfo.org
Global network. A good place to trace international news stories. Also includes country files with links to national resources.
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