The Law of Freedom of Information: First Cumulative Supplement

John Macdonald
John Macdonald QC, Clive H. Jones, and Colin Braham

Maintains the usefulness of the main work by bringing it fully up to date
The main work and the first cumulative supplement are also available together as a set (ISBN 0199288054: £180.00)

The Law of Freedom of Information: First Cumulative Supplement

John Macdonald
John Macdonald QC, Clive H. Jones, and Colin Braham

Description

This cumulative supplement to The Law of Freedom of Information covers all key developments in the subject up to June 2005. It is an essential purchase for all who already own the main work, and maintains its currency.

The supplement updates the main work paragraph by paragraph, following the same structure as the main work. It includes full analysis of the guidance issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in October 2004 and the current awareness guidance and policy development documents issued by the Information Commissioner. The authors also examine the first decisions of the Commissioner and the decisions of the Ombudsman including her ruling on the disclosure of the advice given by the Attorney General on the legality of the war with Iraq. In addition, the supplement covers recent decisions from the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland, as well as UK decisions on data protection and confidentiality.

The comprehensive, analytical approach of the main work provides the complete reference volume for practitioners advising on the relevant legislation: those working within or advising the myriad public bodies upon which the Freedom of Information Act 2000 imposes new duties regarding the disclosure and handling of information; those advising clients with a personal, professional or commercial interest in obtaining information from those newly obliged to provide it; and those in the business community for whom the Act raises important concerns about the potential accessibility of commercially sensitive information

The supplement and the main work are also available as a pack (ISBN 0199288054: £180.00).

The Law of Freedom of Information: First Cumulative Supplement

John Macdonald
John Macdonald QC, Clive H. Jones, and Colin Braham

A. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
1:The Historical Background
2:The Debate in Parliament
3:An Overview
B. THE PRESENT
4:Freedom of Information until January 2005
C. THE STATUTORY SCHEME
5:Access to Information Held by Public Authorities
6:Exempt Information
7:Enforcement
8:Historical Records
D. A COMPARATIVE VIEW
9:A Comparison with Freedom of Information Elsewhere
E. RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER STATUTES
10:Data Protection
11:Medical Records
12:Secrecy
13:Whistle-Blowing
14:Money Laundering
15:Local Government
16:The Environment and Other Statutes
F. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND THE COMMERCIAL WORLD
17:Implications for Business
18:Freedom of Information in Commercial Disputes
19:The Internet
G. PRIVACY, CONFIDENTIALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
20:Privacy and Confidentiality
21:The Human Rights Act 1998
H. DEVOLUTION
22:Scotland
23:Wales and Northern Ireland
I. THE EUROPEAN UNION AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD
24:The European Union
25:The Right to Know in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the United States
J. THE FUTURE
26:The Future
FIRST CUMULATIVE SUPPLEMENT
The Supplement follows the same structure as the main work, with each contributor providing updates to their chapter(s), carefully referenced to the relevant paragraph of the main work.

The Law of Freedom of Information: First Cumulative Supplement

John Macdonald
John Macdonald QC, Clive H. Jones, and Colin Braham

Author Information

John Macdonald, Barrister, New Square Chambers, Lincoln's Inn

John Macdonald QC, Barrister, New Square Chambers, Lincoln's Inn, Clive H. Jones, Barrister, New Square Chambers, Lincoln's Inn, and Colin Braham

Contributors:

The Contributors are all barristers practising from New Square Chambers, one of the largest sets in Lincoln's Inn. They combine expertise in both public and commercial law:

James Bailey
Colin Braham
Sandra Corbett
Ross Crail
Jane Evans-Gordon
Mark Hubbard
Clive H. Jones
John Macdonald QC
Adrian Pay
Ian Peacock
Stephen Schaw Miller
Edwin Simpson
David Warner
Colette Wilkins

The Law of Freedom of Information: First Cumulative Supplement

John Macdonald
John Macdonald QC, Clive H. Jones, and Colin Braham

Reviews and Awards

Richard Scott, the judge who through his inquiry into the arms-to-Iraq affair a few years ago put freedom of information high on the public agenda, rightly observes in a Foreword that, although written as a practitioners' book, "the commendably simple, clear language of the text will make its exposition of the law as accessible to non-lawyers as to lawyers". This is a book which no serious practitioner can do without. ... Much has been written about the FOI Act, but this is, beyond doubt, the most authoritative analytical work on the subject. - Journal of the Commonwealth Lawyers

..The approach, layout, and content were very good...the editorial skill lies in the developing a full, accurate but concise statement of the law and the relevent principles to be applied, with suitable footnote, references and analysis. In this object, the book achieves substantial success. - New Law Journal

... major work on freedom of information ... will be hugely valuable as a reference book in the years ahead as lawyers struggle with the complexities of the new legislation ... the commendably simple, clear language of the text will make the book's exposition of the law as accessible to non-lawyers as to lawyers. - Media Lawyer