United Kingdom

Abstract

It is particularly necessary in the context of the United Kingdom to distinguish between central and local government, and to emphasise that the latter is a considerable holder of ‘administrative information’. Central government departments naturally hold information of greater national importance, affecting among other things the security of the state, foreign affairs and the health of the economy. On the other hand, the public services which most affect the ordinary citizen in his everyday life, including education, environmental health, town and country planning, housing and the social services, are administered by local authorities with a significant measure of independence. The relevant point in the context of this chapter is that public access to the information held by central and local authorities is governed by different laws and conventions.