Freedom of Information Bill — 17 Oct 2000 at 22:45

The majority of Lords voted in favour of an amendment to the Freedom of Information Bill which removed a fixed time limit for providing a response to a request for information in cases where public authorities consider a "public interest test". The time limit for a response where a "public interest test" is carried out became "such time as is reasonable in the circumstances". Without this amendment the time limit would have been a fixed number of working days, as applies to cases where no "public interest test" is carried out. The amendment read:

Page 5, line 35, at end insert--

("(2A) If, and to the extent that--

(a) section 1(1)(a) would not apply but for paragraphs (a) and (b) of section (Effect of exemptions)(1), or

(b) section 1(1)(b) would not apply but for paragraphs (a) and (b) of section (Effect of exemptions)(2),

the public authority need not comply with section 1(1)(a) or (b) until such time as is reasonable in the circumstances; but this subsection does not affect the time by which any notice under section 15(1) must be given.").

On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 79) shall be agreed to?

Their Lordships divided: Contents, 48; Not-Contents, 12.

Debate in Parliament | Historical Hansard | Source |