uk parliamentary debates and legislation online

1
CLSR Briefing CLSR BRIEFING NEWS AND COMMENT ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Compiled by Stephen Saxby United Kingdom Revised Code of Practice on Access to Government Information comes into effect On 1 February 1997 a revised Code of Practice on Access to Government Information came into effect. The Code was originally proposed in the 1993 White Paper on open government (published by HMSO, Cm 2290). After a period of consultation, the Code came into force on 4 April 1994. The latest revision takes account of the experi- ence gained from the operation of the Code since its introduction. The Code includes five main commitments to: supply facts and analysis with major policy decisions; open up internal guidelineswithout departments dealing with the pub- lic; supply reasonswith administrative decisions; provide information under the Citi- zen’s Charter about public services, what they cost, targets, perfor- mance, complaints and redress;and respond to requests for lnforma- tion. The Code extends to almost all central Government departments and their agencies, as well as many other public bodies. Copies of the Code are available on the Internet at http://www.o- pen.gov.uk/m-of-gov/code.htm. For paper copies of the Code, please telephone + 44 (0)345 223242 (Cabinet Office). Editor’s Note: A similar Code of Practice on openness in the National Health Service came into force in June 1995, and in the same month the Local 138 Computer Law & Security Report scl997, Elsevier Science Ltd. Authority Associations published a Good Practice Note on Access to Information. This sets out the legal obligations which commit local gov- ernment to Open Government, and recommends that individual Councils should draw up their own region codes governing their own policies on Access to Information. UK Parliamentary debates and legislation online The UK Government hastaken the first steps to bring Parliamentary debates and legislation to the Internet. From 23 October 1996, Hansard (House of Commons Debates) has been available for browsing on the Internet. A search engine has also been introduced for key word searching. In addition, the site carries the Order Paper for each Parliamentary day, certain public Bills before Parliament, reports from certain Select Committees and the Weekly Information Bulletin. With effect from the first Public General Act of 1996, all new Public General Acts (and the Data Protection Act 19%) have been and will be published in full text form on the Internet by Her Majesty’s Station- ery Office Web Pages. All Public Gen- eral Acts appear asoriginally passed by Parliament. Subsequent amendments are not included, which will of course detract from their value as primary source material. Summaries of a wide range of earlier Acts comprising Long Title, Arrangement of Sections, ISBN, page content and price, are also avall- able via these Web pages. The aim is that all new Public General Acts should be published on the Internet within 10 working days of their publication in printed form. In addition, all Statutory Instruments from 1 January 1997 will be published ln full text form as well. Vol. 13 no. 2 1997 The aim here is to publish within 15 working days of their publication in printed form. All Crown Copyrights have been reserved. Concessions have been granted, however, to enableindividuals to down-load this text flle or print it for their own individual use.Reproduction of the text for the purpose of develop- ing and publishing value-added pro- ducts is also allowed, without prior permission or charge, provided repro- duction is accurate, not malicious and is accompanied by an acknowledge- ment of Crown Copyright. Any other proposed reproduction requires the consent of the Copyright Unit as Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. More de- tails of the rules governing exploi- tation of this material is given on the Internet site: http:// www.hmso.gov.uk Major crack-down on illegal copying launched The Copyright Licensing Agency has launched a major campaign designed to encourage the National Health Service, national and local government, and dozens of other public bodies to comply with copyright law. Launching its new ‘Copywatch’ campaign, the CLA’s ‘Get Tough’ approach follows a successful pilot which has exposed thousands of pounds worth of illegal copying by UK business,and resulted in a number of legal actions and substantial fines for the perpetrators. The new campaign will urge business, government and public bodies, to take out CLA licences authorising photoco- pying, as well as warning them of the dangers of non-compliance. Speaking before the launch at the New British Library, the CLA’s Chief Executive, Cohn Hadley, said:

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Page 1: UK parliamentary debates and legislation online

CLSR Briefing

CLSR BRIEFING NEWS AND COMMENT ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Compiled by Stephen Saxby

United Kingdom

Revised Code of Practice on Access to Government Information comes into effect On 1 February 1997 a revised Code of Practice on Access to Government Information came into effect. The Code was originally proposed in the 1993 White Paper on open government (published by HMSO, Cm 2290). After a period of consultation, the Code came into force on 4 April 1994. The latest revision takes account of the experi- ence gained from the operation of the Code since its introduction. The Code includes five main commitments to:

supply facts and analysis with major policy decisions;

open up internal guidelines without departments dealing with the pub- lic;

supply reasons with administrative decisions;

provide information under the Citi- zen’s Charter about public services, what they cost, targets, perfor- mance, complaints and redress; and respond to requests for lnforma- tion. The Code extends to almost all

central Government departments and their agencies, as well as many other public bodies.

Copies of the Code are available on the Internet at http://www.o- pen.gov.uk/m-of-gov/code.htm. For paper copies of the Code, please telephone + 44 (0)345 223242 (Cabinet Office).

Editor’s Note: A similar Code of Practice on openness in the National Health Service came into force in June 1995, and in the same month the Local

138 Computer Law & Security Report scl997, Elsevier Science Ltd.

Authority Associations published a Good Practice Note on Access to Information. This sets out the legal obligations which commit local gov- ernment to Open Government, and recommends that individual Councils should draw up their own region codes governing their own policies on Access to Information.

UK Parliamentary debates and legislation online The UK Government has taken the first steps to bring Parliamentary debates and legislation to the Internet. From 23 October 1996, Hansard (House of Commons Debates) has been available for browsing on the Internet. A search engine has also been introduced for key word searching. In addition, the site carries the Order Paper for each Parliamentary day, certain public Bills before Parliament, reports from certain Select Committees and the Weekly Information Bulletin. With effect from the first Public General Act of 1996, all new Public General Acts (and the Data Protection Act 19%) have been and will be published in full text form on the Internet by Her Majesty’s Station- ery Office Web Pages. All Public Gen- eral Acts appear as originally passed by Parliament. Subsequent amendments are not included, which will of course detract from their value as primary source material. Summaries of a wide range of earlier Acts comprising Long Title, Arrangement of Sections, ISBN, page content and price, are also avall- able via these Web pages. The aim is that all new Public General Acts should be published on the Internet within 10 working days of their publication in printed form. In addition, all Statutory Instruments from 1 January 1997 will be published ln full text form as well.

Vol. 13 no. 2 1997

The aim here is to publish within 15 working days of their publication in printed form.

All Crown Copyrights have been reserved. Concessions have been granted, however, to enable individuals to down-load this text flle or print it for their own individual use. Reproduction of the text for the purpose of develop- ing and publishing value-added pro- ducts is also allowed, without prior permission or charge, provided repro- duction is accurate, not malicious and is accompanied by an acknowledge- ment of Crown Copyright. Any other proposed reproduction requires the consent of the Copyright Unit as Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. More de- tails of the rules governing exploi- tation of this material is given on the Internet site: http:// www.hmso.gov.uk

Major crack-down on illegal copying launched The Copyright Licensing Agency has launched a major campaign designed to encourage the National Health Service, national and local government, and dozens of other public bodies to comply with copyright law. Launching its new ‘Copywatch’ campaign, the CLA’s ‘Get Tough’ approach follows a successful pilot which has exposed thousands of pounds worth of illegal copying by UK business, and resulted in a number of legal actions and substantial fines for the perpetrators. The new campaign will urge business, government and public bodies, to take out CLA licences authorising photoco- pying, as well as warning them of the dangers of non-compliance. Speaking before the launch at the New British Library, the CLA’s Chief Executive, Cohn Hadley, said: