Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies to information held by, or on behalf of, public authorities.

Research organisations may find themselves drawn into Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) issues in two ways.

Firstly they may have provided information to a public authority. This may be included in tender documents, contacts or research reports. Secondly they may hold information on behalf of the public authority. It may be the case that contractually any work product is the property of the public authority client or that the researcher holds the sole copy of a research report paid for by the public authority.

Our guidelines and FAQ provide detailed advice on the operation of FOIA, including how to deal with requests, and how to help protect sensitive commercial information.

Freedom of Information Act 2000: Guidance