This introduction is designed to help officials in Government Departments implement the Freedom of Information Act effectively and responsibly. It may also be of use to officials working in other public authorities, and of general interest to the public.
'Freedom of Information: An Introduction to Exemptions' should be read in conjunction with the 'Freedom of Information Guidance on Processing Requests' and the full Exemptions guidance which provides specific advice on the interpretation of individual exemptions under the Act.
This guidance has been produced by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA), the lead Department for the Freedom of Information Act. DCA will keep the contents of this guidance under review in the light of experience of operating the Act and decisions made by the Information Commissioner, the Information Tribunal and the courts. The guidance will be updated as necessary to reflect this and any subsequent legal and policy changes. Officials must bear this in mind, and be sure to refer to the most recent version of the guidance available on this site.
At the bottom of the page you will find useful links through to the websites and documents referred to in this Guidance.