It has been addressed to the public body because I've received it on my
e-mail at work. FoI doesn't stipulate that you've got to send your request
to a particular person.
<Chris.Campbell@britishc
ouncil.org> To: <[log in to unmask]>,
<[log in to unmask]>
08/07/04 15:11 cc:
Subject: RE: FoI Requests for information and e-mail
discussion lists
Correct me if I'm wrong but surely the email would need to be addressed
specifically to the public body or FOI Contact to be considered an FOI
request?
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Records Management mailing list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard
Childs
Sent: 08 July 2004 14:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FoI Requests for information and e-mail discussion lists
I know what the common sense answer to this question should be, but with
FoI common sense may not prevail.
Clearly a lot of subscribers to discussion lists such as this one are
working for public authorities that are affected by the Freedom of
Information Act My understanding is that an e-mail sent via a discussion
list which asks for information and is received by an individual on
their work e-mail address is technically an FoI request received by that
public body. Clearly the sender of the e-mail doesn't know everyone to
whom the e-mail has been sent, though by looking at the archive of the
discussion list they will have an idea of some of the subscribers.
Therefore from January 2005 should those of us who subscribe to
discussion lists and work for public bodies affected by FoI have to
respond to all requests for information within 20 working days rather
than picking and choosing which ones to which we wish to reply. Is this
the end of e-mail discussion lists for some of us??
Richard Childs
County Archivist
West Sussex Record Office
County Hall
Chichester
West Sussex PO19 1RN
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