Welcome to the Department's Freedom of Information (FoI) pages.  Within these pages you will find guidance on finding information already published by the Department.  You will also find out how to make a FoI request, or if the information you require is covered by another Act.

From 1st January 2005, the FoI Act grants a right of access to any person who makes a written request to a public authority for information.  Subject to certain exemptions, the applicant must be told if the Department holds the information and, if it does, be supplied with the information within 20 working days.  In future all written requests for information will be treated as FoI requests.

We hope you find the following pages informative and easy to use.

Message from Sue Street – the Permanent Secretary.

"DCMS preparations for implementing the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are well advanced, and we are readying ourselves to deal with requests from 1st January 2005.  Our staff are undergoing intensive training and a new IT case management system has been installed to help us respond to requests in a timely and effective manner. The public bodies that DCMS sponsors will also be required to release information under the FoI Act in the same way".