sorry the full message this time! lesson learned is don't press ctrl +
enter (send) when you were aiming for ctrl + v (paste)!:
Dear All,
Further to the discussion on this thread about data access provisions,
colleagues in Wales and Scotland may be interested in two ongoing
consultations which touch in part on this topic. They are respectively:
* The National Assembly for Wales is consulting on their "Publication
Scheme", which as you recall is required of public bodies (including local
authorities) under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The draft scheme does include a small reference to archaeology and the
historic environment as it commits the Assembly through Cadw (as one of the
Executive Agencies) "to publish a range of advisory, informative,
specialist and commercial publications in respect of the historic
environment of Wales". Annotation in the consultation indicates that a
charge may be made for information in this category. I am not sure that this
in itself is sufficient - e.g. no mention of any publication for existing
public-record data-sets on listed buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
I am also unclear why the Royal Commission is not mentioned - does anyone
know whether this arises as a consequence of having a Royal Warrant (which
in any case makes many of the freedom of information committments we would
be looking for already)?
The consultation can be found online at:
http://www.wales.gov.uk/keypubconsultation/content/publication-letter-e.htm
Closing date for comments by the way is 27th August 2002
* The Scottish Executive is consulting on "Proposals for a new regime on
Public Access to Environmental Information", which relates to the UK's
approach to implementation of the Aarhus Convention and queries the
principles that should underlie the new regime on access to environmental
information, in relplacement of the existing measures under the
Environmental Information Regulations 1992. One of the key questions is
whether the Aarhus defintion of "environment" should be the basis for the
new Environment Information regime? As you may recall, Aarhus benfits from
including "cultural sites and built structures" within the defintion of
environment.
A similar consultation took place in England some time ago although alas I
think there was little or no historic environment input. There is therefore
perhaps an opportunity to respond more fully this time.
The consultation can be found online at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/paei-00.asp
Deadline for comments is 9th August.
Hope this is of interest/use
Best wishes
Alex Hunt
Research and Conservation Officer
Council for British Archaeology
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