More Authorities to add to the Freedom of Information Act
As well as the list of authorities Add-to-foi thinks the Government should definitely add to the Freedom of Information Act, here are some more authorities that we think the Government should seriously consider adding.
Communications, media and entertainment
- Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) (responsible for writing and reviewing the advertising Codes for television and radio advertisements)
- BT Group plc (in respect of its Universal Service Obligation and its Openreach division, a division created to "Ensure that all rival operators have equality of access to BT's own local network")
- Clearcast Limited(responsible for pre-transmission examination and clearance of television advertisements)
- Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) (writes and reviews the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing that all advertisers have to adhere to)
- Defence Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee (DPBAC)
- Nominet UK (the domain name registry for the United Kingdom)
- Kingston Communications plc in respect of its Universal Service Obligation
- RadioCentre Limited (runs RACC Commercial Radio's advertising clearance body)
Contractors
Any person providing health, education, social care, criminal justice services under a contract made with a public authority where the provision of the service is function of that authority.[1]
Education
- Exam Boards
- Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) (a sector-led body in the public sector)
- Learning Trust (not-for profit company responsible for running all education services in the London Borough of Hackney)
- Royal Academy of Engineering(RAE) (receives substantial grant income from public funds)
- Students' Unions(in receipt of grants from public funds)
Energy and utilities
- Capita Gas Registration and Ancillary Services Limited (in respect of its role as the official gas registration body for Great Britain)
- Distribution network operators (holders of electricity distribution licences)
- Energy Ombudsman (Ombudsman Service Limited)
- National Grid (in respect of s role in controlling and maintaining national infrastructure such as the high-voltage electricity transmission network and the high pressure gas transmission system)
- Water companies
- Water and sewage companies
Environment
- Groundwork UK (funded by the Department of Communities and Local Government, the Welsh Assembly, and local authorities)
- Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC)
- Malvern Hills Conservators
- National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) (funded by DEFRA, Scottish Government, Invest Northern Ireland etc)
- Regional Climate Change Partnerships
- Regional Parks
- Waste and Resource Action Programme
Health and public safety
- Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
- Independent Sector Treatment Centres[2]
- Joint Formulary Committee (a committee of the British National Formulary BNF)
- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (in respect of its statutory powers to apply for care and supervision orders for children at risk)
- Royal College of Anaesthetists
- Royal College of General Practitioners
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
- Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
- Royal College of Pathologists
- Royal College of Physicians
Heritage and culture
- Birmingham Royal Ballet (receives substantial public funding)
- Churches Conservation Trust (sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (receives substantial public funding)
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission (around 78% of the funding comes from the UK Government)
- Design Museum (sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
- English National Opera (receives substantial public funding)
- History of Parliament Trust, The
- London Symphony Orchestra (receives substantial public funding)
- National Coal Mining Museum for England, The (sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
- National Football Museum, The (sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
- People's History Museum, The (sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
- Royal Opera House (receives substantial public funding)
Finance
Law and justice
- Magistrates' Association
- National Probation Service contractors
- Private security firms carrying out prisoner escort duties
Local Government, housing and care services
- Business Improvement Districts (established under Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2003 and funded by levy )
- Housing Ombudsman Service
- Isle Care (classed as a local government body by the Office of National Statistics)
- Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs)("The Government does not intend to define local enterprise partnerships in legislation. Governance structures will need to be sufficiently robust and clear to ensure proper
accountability for delivery." source: Parliamentary Briefing Paper)
- Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) (partnerships made up of members from the public, private and third sectors and centred on a local authority area)
- Operators of foster homes
Policing and emergency services
Whilst it it is accepted that some of the bodies in this section hold extremely sensitive information there will nevertheless be classes of information that can be released e.g. statistical information about how complaints handled. It should be noted that the Ministry of Defence, the Army and the Metropolitan Police Service are already subject to the Act.
- Association of Police Authorities, The
- Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure
- Office of the Surveillance Commissioners
- National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit (NETCU)
- Private security firms working for the British Government in the UK and abroad
- Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA)
- Security Commission
- Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
Standard setting
- British Standards Institution (BSI)(UK's National Standards Body)
Transport and navigation
- Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC Limited)(operates National Rail Enquiries and Railcard schemes)
- Humber Bridge Board
- Independent Penalty Fares Appeals Service (IPFAS), The
- National Air Traffic Services (NATS)
- Operators of toll roads, bridges and tunnels
- Road Safety Partnerships
- Speed Camera Partnerships
Sport
- Legacy Trust UK (set up to use funding endowed by the Big Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
- UK Athletics (the national governing body for athletic)
Notes
Note 1: The wording used here was supplied by the Campaign for Freedom of Information who support the inclusion of contractors meeting this definition in the scope of the Freedom of Information Act. The term 'person' would be defined to include companies, partnerships, sole traders and other types of businesses.
Note 2: See Department of Health website page: "Treatment centres"