The Freedom of Information (Parliament and National Assembly for Wales) Order 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

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 of the Act, or a publicly-owned company as defined by section 6 of the Act.

Schedule 1 to the Act may be amended by an order made by the Secretary of State under section 7(3)(a) limiting an entry relating to a public authority to information of a specified description.

This Order limits the entries relating to three public authorities: the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the National Assembly for Wales. The effect of this Order is that:

• Information held by the House of Commons or the House of Lords relating to—

  • any residential address of a member of either House of Parliament,

  • forthcoming or regular travel arrangements of a member of either House of Parliament (except as to the total amount of expenditure incurred on travel during any month),

  • the identity of any person who delivers or has delivered goods, or provides or has provided services, to a member of either House of Parliament at their residence, and

  • expenditure by a member of either House of Parliament on security arrangements,

  is not held by them for the purposes of section 3 of the Act.

• Information held by the National Assembly for Wales relating to—

  • any residential address of a member of the Assembly,

  • forthcoming or regular travel arrangements of a member of the Assembly (except as to the total amount of expenditure incurred on travel during any month), and

  • the identity of any person who delivers or has delivered goods, or provides or has provided services, to a member of the Assembly at their residence, and

  • expenditure by a member of the Assembly on security arrangements,

  is not held by them for the purposes of section 3 of the Act.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.