Your right to know

The Freedom of Information Act entitles anybody to ask a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including Government departments, for any recorded information that they keep.

This is in addition to individuals' rights of access to information about themselves under the Data Protection Act 1998, and other existing legislation that already secures public access rights to much information held by a local authority.

The general right of access under the Freedom of Information Act is subject to some exemptions and the Act places a number of obligations on local authorities.