Freedom of Information Act - Publication Scheme

Overview

One of the obligations for public bodies under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is that they produce and maintain a publication scheme. This is essentially a guide to the information they routinely make available to the public in hard copy or in electronic format. The purpose behind these schemes is to help the public understand what publicly funded bodies do and how they do it.

The University of Bolton has produced its publication scheme and this has been approved by the Information Commissioner. From the end of February 2004 it will be publicly available on the University web site and also in hard copy format (a copy will be available from the University Library for reference).

In common with the majority of other universities, The University of Bolton followed a model publication scheme prepared by JISC (The Joint Information Systems Committee) and approved by the Information Commissioner. By following the model, it should mean that our scheme has a similar format to the schemes produced by other higher education Universitys and this should make it easier for users to find information about the University and to compare information across the sector. The scheme should also act as a useful reference tool for University staff to find out more about the University.

Freedom of Information Guidance

The scheme is divided into nine main sections and a short summary is provided of what you can expect to find in each. Click on
each main heading in order to find what is available in each;

Navigate Sections

Governance
This section covers information relating to the way the University is governed and how decisions are made. It includes information on the legal status of the University, which individual member of staff or group within the organisation is responsible for specific functions and where they fit in the overall structure of the organisation. In some instances information from committee minutes will be exempt from disclosure where it contains personal information, information that may damage the commercial interests of the University or that may threaten the health and safety of specific individuals.
Financial Resources
This section covers information on the University’s strategy and management of financial resources. The Finance Division provides accounting, procurement and contracting services, helping to make best use of resources and fulfilling statutory responsibilities. Information that may damage the University’s commercial interests will be excluded from publication.
Human Resources
This section covers information on the University’s strategy and management of human resources, rather than information relating to individual members of staff which is exempt from disclosure as personal information. The information available covers personnel policies and procedures (including terms and conditions of service including all current versions of the information specified in each class).
Physical Resources
HEIs are often substantial land and property owners in their own right. The Class in this section covers information at a strategic level relating to the University’s management of its physical resources. Information that provides specific details of the University’s future plans to alter its estate (eg proposals to purchase additional property) may be exempt from disclosure where such disclosure would damage the University’s commercial interests.
Student Administration and Support
This section contains information on how the University manages the administration and progression of their students from admission to course completion, including student support services. Information available within this section does not include specific student personal details, by virtue of being personal information.
Information Services
This section covers those functions within the University that provide access to information for the student body and both academic and administrative staff. (These include libraries, computing services and information support services.) Such functions may be managed separately from each other, or in various combinations. These services routinely explain their facilities (and the conditions of their use) to students, staff and the general public and it is information of this nature that is included within this section. Information services inevitably hold large quantities of personal data that are exempt from general disclosure.
Teaching and Learning
This section contains information regarding the management of teaching and learning within the University, including mechanisms for reviewing and ensuring the quality of teaching provided.
Research and Development
This section covers information relating to the University’s management and funding of its research activities – it does not include the actual results or data from research undertaken. It should also be noted that in some cases information that reveals the identity of those involved in the research process maybe exempt from publication for health and safety reasons.
External Relations
This section covers information relating to the University’s relationship with its external environment. These include the formal reports the University is required to provide to its funding bodies (where these are already in the public domain, web links should be provided or details of how they can be obtained), the University’s arrangements with other Universitys, how it manages its relationship with the local community and how it retains contact with its former staff and students. By virtue of their nature, most Universitys will probably find that the majority of these classes are already made available to the public by some means. Members of the public are also likely to find the same or related information is available from the external partners with which the University has links.

Requests for Information

The information in the scheme can be provided in either electronic or/and hard copy. Anyone requiring access to a hard copy publicationcontact the University Secretary. Most information can be provided free of charge, but there is a fee for some hard copy information and if this is the case it is stated in the scheme.

What about information not included in the publication scheme?

From 1 January 2005 the public will have the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request information held by the University, which has not already been made available through the publication scheme.

Requests will have to be made in writing and, in general, the University will have 20 working days to respond. The applicant has the right to be told whether or not the University has the information they are seeking, and to have such information communicated to them. If the information has been destroyed, the University must show that it has been destroyed in accordance with good business practice (a records retention schedule will be accepted as evidence of good practice). A fee may be charged for information and this must be paid in advance.

A request for information may be refused if an exemption exists. There are twenty-three exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act and include, personal information (covered by the Data Protection Act), information which may endanger the physical or mental health or personal security of any individual, and information intended for future publication. The University may also refuse to disclose information for the following reasons: when a requester, following prompting and assistance, does not give enough of a description of the information required to allow that information to be identified; when requests are vexatious or repeated; and if any fee charged is not paid within three months.

During the year further guidance will be offered to help staff understand more about Freedom of Information and the impact that it may have on the University.

For further information about Freedom of Information (including a full list of exemptions) please see the Information Commissioner’s website www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.