Introduction

The UK's Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) did not become law on a sudden whim of the government of the time. When it received royal assent on 30 November 2000 it was the culmination of a long campaign for a right to information law in the UK. It was also a relatively late instance of such a law being introduced in the western world.

Internationally, FOI laws in various forms are becoming commonplace. From Albania to Zimbabwe, access to information is increasingly seen as a fundamental right. Very often, the right to information is high on the agenda of those seeking the overthrow of tyranny. As well as providing a check on power, FOI laws are an important symbol of the freedom and democracy that many nations aspire to.

For many years, there was resistance to the introduction of such a right in the UK. It was argued that it was incompatible with the way that the country was governed, and that it was unnecessary. It was only after years of campaigning by groups such as the Campaign for Freedom of Information, the media, individuals and politicians that FOIA became a reality.

Even then, many people working for public bodies could not understand why the government had chosen to inflict such an administrative burden on them. Why us? Why now? Those questions persist in some parts of the public sector.

FOI officers carry out their role in this context. Understanding where FOI comes from, why it is seen as so important by campaigners and politicians, and how it came to be helps them to better understand their role and argue the case for transparency more effectively.

We didn't start the FOIA

When was the first FOI law passed? Few know, and if pushed will guess at the origins of FOI lying anywhere from the time of classical Greece (500-300 BC) to the late 20th century (in fact, there are suggestions that the principle of FOI may have its roots in ancient China). The ancient world undoubtedly could provide examples of what might be loosely termed transparency, mostly to suit the political tactics of politicians. However, there was nothing that we would recognise as a right of access like that enshrined in the FOIA.