Freedom of information - or “FOI” - laws are a powerful tool, available to everyone. Our experts can help you make use of them but can also defend your interests where the laws are being misused.
The right to receive information from public bodies is a fundamental right, given effect in the UK in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) (and their Scottish equivalents). These laws allow any person to ask for any recorded information held by a public authority and - in principle - to receive it within 20 working days.
Since the laws were enacted there have been countless examples of important information being disclosed - including MPs’ expenses, royal correspondence with ministers and illegal sewage discharge data. And also information on planning issues, public contracts and details of meetings held by public bodies, at central government and local level.
But what should be a simple process can often become complex and contentious: public bodies have a range of exemptions and exceptions they might be able to call on.
We advise companies, individual requesters, journalists, civil society groups and public bodies on FOI, and we can help you:
- plan and draft requests which will get the optimal results
- challenge public bodies who refuse requests
- make representations to public bodies if they are proposing to disclose information which affects your interests
- make or defend complaints to the Information Commissioner’s Office
- bring or defend proceedings in the Information Tribunal and the higher courts
Our team includes data and information, environmental, real estate and constitutional law experts, as well as litigation specialists and the chair of a UK representative body for FOI professionals.
Whether you need strategic advice on crafting productive FOI requests or litigation expertise in an FOI dispute, our experts are on hand to assist.