On Tue, May 30, 2006 at 02:46:02PM +0100, Tim Turner wrote:
> Section 8 (1)(b)of the FOISA 2002 states that requests should contain "the
> name of the applicant and an address for correspondence". "The name of the
> applicant" has now been interpreted by the Scottish Commissioner to be the
> actual name, which seems logical. Section 8 (1)(b) of the FOIA 2000 says the
> same thing; the Other Commissioner seems to have come to a different
> conclusion on the same words.
I came across an interesting comment on this in the House of Lords
debate when the Act was being considered:
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/vo001114/text/01114-14.htm
Lord Bach: My Lords, the Internet age has dawned. The Freedom of
Information Bill makes provision for an application to be purpose
blind. It requires that an applicant must apply in writing, which
includes any electronic application, and provide an address. These
are commonsense provisions which are necessary to ensure that a public
authority can carry out its statutory duty to communicate information
to that applicant. The Bill assumes that an applicant will wish to give
his real name, but nothing requires him or her to do so or to use any
particular name. He can call himself Father Christmas, or even Ralph
Lucas, if he desires. In any event, the name is not relevant, as long
as the information provided is sufficient to identify the applicant
for the purpose of communicating information.
Tony
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