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About the ActThe Freedom of Information Act 2000 received royal approval on 30 November 2000, although it did not come fully into force until 2005. It gives a general right of access to all types of information held by public authorities (although certain exemptions apply) and places a number of obligations on public authorities. We are one such authority. Under the Act, we must tell any person who asks us for information whether we hold that information and we must give it to them (unless exemptions apply). To see a copy of the Act, and the exemptions, go to the Office of Public Sector InformationOpens new browser window The Information Commissioner is responsible for the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998. You can get more information at: Information Commissioner's Office What is a Publication Scheme?Under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we must:
Within these pages, you will see:
We believe that the Publication Scheme will be of equal benefit to all groups listed under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. How is the Publication Scheme organised?Our Publication Scheme contains a list of documents we produce and plan to publish. The Scheme brings together the many different types of information and formats (for example, paper, electronic, CD-ROM and so on) that we issue. It organises the information by 'category' and then by 'class'. Under each class heading there is a brief description outlining the type of information that is included and how you can get access to it. In identifying the classes of information included in the Scheme, we took account of areas where the public made regular requests for information. We would welcome your comments on any extra classes of information you would like to see made available (see the section 'Feedback'). How will you make information available?We will make information available through this Publication Scheme in a variety of formats. ElectronicIf information is available on our website, a hypertext link will direct you to the correct page. These are electronic documents in, for example, Word or .pdf format, and can be downloaded free of charge. To view .pdf documents, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader, free of charge. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader By askingIf information is available for you to ask for, you can do so by contacting the relevant office. If you have to pay a fee, this is clearly shown against the individual documents concerned. By viewing in personCertain large documents and manuals may only be available to view in person, although we will try to supply sections of these documents in other ways to meet specific needs. If information is available to view in person, you can arrange to do so by contacting any of the Roads Service Section Offices, click here for contact addresses. In some cases, you may find that information may be 'removed' from a document. This is because the information falls within an exemption set out in the Freedom of Information Act or is covered by the Data Protection Act. If this happens, the document will be clearly marked to show where information has been removed and which exemption (or exemptions) applies. Our Publication Scheme is available on our website. You can also get it in paper and other formats (for example, on tape and in Braille) by contacting: Information Management Unit How do I get access to information that is not contained in the Publication Scheme?If you are unable to find the information you are looking for within the Publication Scheme you can make a request to us under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act or the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). You can do this by writing, directly, to the Agency, Division or Branch within the Department that is responsible for holding the information, if you know who that is (see contacts for addresses), or you may write to: Information Management Unit Phone: 028 9054 0266 When requesting information please include the following details:
Alternatively you may also make a request to us using our on-line request form. We will reply to requests within 20 working days from the date we receive them. There is normally no charge for dealing with requests but if a fee is required we will write and tell you. Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you have the right to get access to personal information held about you on computer and in some paper files. We also have a database on our website which provides details of responses made to FOI requests that are of a wider public interest. This is referred to as Recent Releases. Who is responsible for the Department for Regional Development Publication Scheme?Our Director of the Central Policy and Management Unit has overall responsibility for the Publication Scheme. It is also managed on a day-to-day basis by: David Crabbe |
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