Publication Scheme for the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants

The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) is an advisory committee of independent experts that provides advice to Government Departments and Agencies on all matters concerning the potential toxicity and effects upon health of air pollutants. The Committee reports to the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson.

Responsibility for the Publication Scheme, on behalf of the organisation will lie with the Chair of COMEAP. Dr Simon Dyer on behalf of the secretariat will take responsibility for the routine maintenance of the scheme.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, COMEAP have agreed to publish and continue to publish the information listed below. This satisfies the requirement of the Act, that all public bodies make information available proactively by virtue of the Publication Scheme set out in section 19 of the Act.

From November 2002, COMEAP has agreed to publish, and continue to publish:

• Terms of reference
  An outline of the objectives of the Committee
  
  
• Membership
  A list of the Members and Chair of the Committee and their employers.
  
  
• Members' Interests
  A list of the personal and non-personal interests which Committee Members and Chair has in non-Government organisations.
  
  
• Meeting agendas and minutes
  A programme of topics for discussion at each forthcoming Committee meeting together with a written record of the discussions that took place at each meeting.
  
  
• Reports and Statements
  Electronic copies of reports and statements written by the Committee.
  
  
• Secretariat contact addresses
  Contact points, addresses and telephone numbers for the Committee Secretariat.
  
  
• Committee meeting papers
  Papers written, usually by the Secretariat, for discussion at Committee meetings and in preparation for future reports and statements issued by the Committee. Papers, reports and statements will be made publicly available subject to the Code of Practice on Open Government, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations
  
  

This information will be made available free of charge from the COMEAP website, although hard copies of some of the Reports may be available at a cost. Meeting agendas will appear on the website two weeks before the relevant meeting. A short note of each meeting will appear on the site within a week of the meeting and the full minutes will available shortly after the next meeting. Meeting papers will also appear on the website shortly after each meeting, subject to the Code of Practice on Open Government, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations. The Committee is required as a scientific Non-Departmental Public Body to comply with the regulations laid out in the Code of Practice on Open Government and the Environmental Information Regulations, as well as the Freedom of Information Act.

Further information on the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants can be obtained by contacting Miss Julia Cumberlidge at:
Area 518
Wellington House
133-155 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8UG
Email: julia.cumberlidge@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Freedom of Information Act enquiries can be sent to Dr Simon Dyer in Area 523 at the above address. Email: simon.dyer@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Other Contacts

Further information on the Code of Practice on Open Government can be found on the Office of Science and Technology's website: http://www.ost.gov.uk
or by contacting the Office for Science and Technology general enquiry line on 020 7215 3817

Further information on the Environmental Information Regulations can be found on the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) website: http://www.defra.gov.uk
or by contacting the DEFRA public enquiry line on 08459 335577

COMEAP Secretariat

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copyright: © | updated: 18 October 2005