Part I
a third or subsequent term) to anything done after the passing of this Act, there shall be left out of account any term of office served by virtue of an appointment made before the passing of this Act.
Publication schemes
Publication schemes. 19.—(1) It shall be the duty of every public authority—
- (a) to adopt and maintain a scheme which relates to the publication of information by the authority and is approved by the Commissioner (in this Act referred to as a “publication scheme”),
- (b) to publish information in accordance with its publication scheme, and
- (c) from time to time to review its publication scheme.
(2) A publication scheme must—
- (a) specify classes of information which the public authority publishes or intends to publish,
- (b) specify the manner in which information of each class is, or is intended to be, published, and
- (c) specify whether the material is, or is intended to be, available to the public free of charge or on payment.
(3) In adopting or reviewing a publication scheme, a public authority shall have regard to the public interest—
- (a) in allowing public access to information held by the authority, and
- (b) in the publication of reasons for decisions made by the authority.
(4) A public authority shall publish its publication scheme in such manner as it thinks fit.
(5) The Commissioner may, when approving a scheme, provide that his approval is to expire at the end of a specified period.
(6) Where the Commissioner has approved the publication scheme of any public authority, he may at any time give notice to the public authority revoking his approval of the scheme as from the end of the period of six months beginning with the day on which the notice is given.
(7) Where the Commissioner—
- (a) refuses to approve a proposed publication scheme, or
- (b) revokes his approval of a publication scheme,
he must give the public authority a statement of his reasons for doing so.
Model publication schemes. 20.—(1) The Commissioner may from time to time approve, in relation to public authorities falling within particular classes, model publication schemes prepared by him or by other persons.
(2) Where a public authority falling within the class to which an approved model scheme relates adopts such a scheme without modification, no further approval of the Commissioner is required so long as the model scheme remains approved; and where such an authority adopts such a scheme with modifications, the approval of the Commissioner is required only in relation to the modifications.
