Freedom of Information: A practical guidebook

A thorough and accessible account of how to use the Freedom of Information Act and other rights to information, written by a leading expert An essential practical guide for anyone who wants to obtain information from public authorities Clear and comprehensive explanations of your rights and how the process operates in practice, including for central government, local councils and public services Full of tested and detailed advice for all stages of the process, from writing effective FOI requests to understanding the exemptions and challenging refusals to supply information Describes a wide range of techniques and tactics for using FOI productively, based on extensive practical experience Includes templates for requests and sections on specific rules for environmental information, personal data and Scotland This book will be an extremely valuable resource for journalists, researchers, campaigners, charities, lawyers, businesses, academics and concerned citizens - or anyone else who wants to be better informed about the activities of government, councils and the public sector.Martin Rosenbaum is a highly experienced and successful user of the freedom of information system. For 16 years he was the leading specialist in using FOI for journalism in BBC News, where he pioneered its use and broke stories, commented on developments, and trained and advised many other journalists. He now works as an FOI consultant, trainer and writer.