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First Annual Freedom
of Information Conference The following FOI experts will be speaking and taking questions at the Conference. Delegates will have a chance to network with speakers during the lunch break and at coffee breaks.
Conference Speakers |
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Freedom of
Information – the Commissioner's view Graham
Smith FOI Conference topic: The Office of the Information Commissioner must enforce Freedom of Information law. Public authorities are likely to need to deal with the Commissioner's Office on a regular basis. Graham Smith will talk about the Commissioner's perspective on FOI and will give an overview of the complaints handling process. |
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The implications
of FOI for the private sector
Patricia
Barratt FOI Conference topic: The new regime brings many changes for the private sector as well as the public sector. This presentation looks at what private sector companies should be doing to maximise the benefits of the Act and minimise its risks, and examines what the effects may be on interaction between the private and public sectors. |
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The use of access
requests by the media – is it war? Keith
Mathieson FOI Conference topic: "A new set of battles are opening up for the media as the government's Freedom of Information Act moves towards its implementation at the end of the year" ( The Guardian, 22 March 2004 ). Keith Mathieson's talk will explore the likely battleground between public authorities and the media. What forms of attack should public authorities anticipate? And how many casualties?
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Journalists'
perspective on FOI requests
David Hencke FOI Conference topic: David Hencke will give an insight into the thinking of journalists regarding FOI access requests and will outline the issues surrounding some of the high-profile access requests that have been made to date. |
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The relationship
between Freedom of Information and Data Protection
Jeremy White FOI Conference topic: There is much confusion surrounding the overlap of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998. The FOIA attempts to maintain the distinction between individual privacy and the public right to access in several important ways. It is essential that public authorities understand this distinction when dealing with information requests. |
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Are your records ready
for FOI?
Kelvin Smith FOI Conference topic: Good quality record keeping in public authorities is essential to meeting the requirement of FOI legislation. Records management underpins FOI - the legislation cannot be implemented if public authorities do not know what information they hold and where it is, and cannot retrieve it when requested to do so. This talk will look at records management policies and procedures that will meet these challenges. |
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Similar but different
– the Scottish experience
David Mallon FOI Conference topic: The Freedom of Information ( Scotland ) Act 2002 has great similarities to its UK counterpart. However, there are important differences the effect of which is to make it more difficult for a Scottish public authority to withhold information pursuant to an Information Request than it is for a UK public body. This added measure of transparency presents both risk and opportunity to clients and advisers alike, and knowledge of the different landscape north of the border is an essential part of the business toolkit. In this talk, David Mallon will outline the main differences between the Scottish and UK Act and provide some insight into the practical impact of these as evidenced in the early months of new regime. |
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Enforcement
Dijen Basu FOI Conference topic: The Information Commissioner is a watchdog with teeth but is his bark worse than his bite? Dijen Basu will speak about the Freedom of Information Act enforcement regime, including the powers of the Information Commissioner to issue Decision, Information and Enforcement Notices, sanctions for non-compliance with those Notices and the controversial Ministerial Veto. Challenges to the Commissioner's decisions must be brought before the Information Tribunal and this talk will examine the powers and procedures of the Tribunal |
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Hugh Tomlinson QC
is a founder member of Matrix Chambers and has a wide ranging
practice in media and information, human rights and public law. |
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Conference Chairman:
Marcus Turle Marcus is a senior solicitor with Field Fisher Waterhouse and has specialised in privacy and information law since 1998. His practice covers all aspects of freedom of information, data protection, confidentiality and human rights. He is editor of Freedom of Information journal, the only legal journal available dedicated to this area. |
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Marcus acts for the Home Office on privacy and information law and is currently advising the UK Passport Service on freedom of information compliance ahead of the inception of the right-to-know in January. He has also recently advised the General Medical Council and the Learning + Skills Council on implementing freedom of information compliance procedures. As the private sector prepares for life supplying to government post-January 2005, Marcus has also been advising companies such as Accenture and Deloitte Consulting on how to address the opportunities and risks which FOIA represents. Marcus's other clients include Celerant Consulting ( a multinational management consultancy part owned by Novell, Inc. ), Overture.com ( the leading provider of internet search services and the provider of the technology behind Microsoft MSN, Yahoo! and Ask Jeeves ) and Ordnance Survey. Marcus is a regular contributor to legal and industry journals and regularly speaks on the conference circuit.
To reserve a place at the The First Annual FOI Conference and/or Workshop Series, please register via:
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