ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the background of access to records in the public sector in the United Kingdom (UK), and focuses on the requirements of Freedom of Information legislation the introduction of which in many parts of the world has radically changed access to records and information. The UK introduced several codes of practice during the 1990s a useful non-statutory device which impacted upon the accessibility of records in the public sector. Public access to the records of government is a fundamental right in a democratic society. The Information Commissioner is responsible for supervising the implementation of both data protection and freedom of information legislation. A right of access to information relating to the environment held by public authorities has been provided by the Environmental Information Regulations 1992 and by the Environmental Information. Information on social services is kept in a variety of ways, such as log books, paper files, or computer.
