The Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives any person the general right of access to see non-personal information held by public bodies such as the Wales Community Rehabilitation Company (Wales CRC).
It is designed to:
- encourage greater openness and accountability
- help increase levels of public trust
- stimulate improvements in our dealings with the public
What sort of information can be requested?
As a general rule, anyone is entitled to request non-personal information that is held in permanent form. This includes paper based and electronic information.
How can this information be requested?
The Wales CRC has its own publication scheme (PDF, 27Kb) This is a guide to information that is routinely available from various sources. The purpose of the scheme is to ensure that a significant amount of information is freely available, without the need for a specific request.
If the required information is not routinely available via the publication scheme, a request can be submitted to obtain it. The Freedom of Information Act requires that these requests are made in writing and we will ensure that assistance is available to do this if needed. Write to:
Information Security Manager
Wales CRC
Churchill House
17 Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH
Is there a cost to see the information?
Requests for large amounts of information may attract a charge. This will be discussed with you on receipt of your request.
Can the request include information about an individual?
The Freedom of Information Act only concerns non-personal information, or information regarding deceased people. Any requests that include personal information should be made under the Data Protection Act legislation via completion of a Subject Access Request Form.
For further information about accessing personal information, contact the Information Security Manager at the above address. Completed Subject Access Request Forms should also be sent to the Information Security Manager.
What happens after a request for information has been submitted?
Once a written request is received, we have to provide the information within 20 working days. However, every attempt is made to provide it sooner.
When submitting a request, please provide as much information as possible to enable us to respond appropriately. If further clarification is required to help identify the information you want to see, we will contact you for more details which may delay the process.
Wherever possible, we will respond positively to your request. However there may be some information that we are unable to disclose, for example, to protect a person’s privacy or a third party’s right to confidentiality. If either of these cases apply, we will advise you and give guidance.
What to do if you have a complaint about the way your request was handled
If you have any issues or complaint with the way your request was handled, please let us know as soon as possible by contacting the FOI Officer or using our complaint procedure. Please write to our Chief Executive with the details of your complaint.
The Chief Executive
Wales Community Rehabilitation Company
Churchill House
17 Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH
If you are still unhappy with the way your complaint has been dealt with, you can contact the Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
01625 545700
Further information about the work of the Information Commissioner, and your rights to disclosure, can be found at www.ico.gov.uk