The Freedom of Information Act
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) grants you the right to request to see information held by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). You can view the Act online at the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website.
Any person of any nationality has the right to request access to information held by us. You can request information of any age and for any purpose. All recorded information held by the FCO is covered by the FOIA.
The FOIA also requires the FCO to be proactive in the release of official information. Our Information Guide tells you how to get information that we already routinely make available.
The FOIA covers all public bodies in the UK from central government departments to local authorities. It also applies to schools and doctors' surgeries. You can read more about the Freedom of Information Act on the following websites:
To find out how to request official information from the FCO, please visit our Request Information pages.
The Scottish Executive introduced its own separate FOIA to cover all of the bodies overseen by the Scottish Parliament. The UK FOI Act applies to all other bodies in Scotland, as well as England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can find details of the Scottish FOIA on the Scottish Government website.