The obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“The Act”) apply to public authorities. For the purposes of the Act, a “public authority” means a body or office which is listed in Schedule 1 to the Act or designated by an order under section 5, or a publicly-owned company as defined by section 6. The list in Schedule 1 to the Act may be added to by an order under section 4(1), provided that the conditions prescribed by section 4(2) and (3) are satisfied.

By section 7(2) of the Act, an order under section 4(1) may list the public authority in Schedule 1 to the Act only in relation to information of a specified description.

Articles 2 and 3 of this Order add references to the bodies and offices listed in Schedule 1 to this Order to Part 6 of Schedule 1 to the Act (Other Public Bodies and Offices: General).

Articles 4 and 5 of this Order add references to the bodies and offices listed in Schedule 2 to this Order to Part 7 of Schedule 1 to the Act (Other Public Bodies and Offices: Northern Ireland).

The bodies and offices added to Schedule 1 to the Act by this Order are public bodies that meet the conditions specified in section 4(2) and (3) of the Act.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been prepared for this Instrument as it has no impact on business.