XN000022-1995-02-16 — Page 3

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Mr Weeks noted that it was Government's intention to pursue through the Code the policy that information held by the Government would be made available, either routinely or on request unless there were valid reasons related to public, private or commercial interests to withhold the information.

"To this end the Code fairly balances openness with the need to protect public and private rights essential to effective government, and personal and commercial privacy," he added.

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The Code is divided into two parts. Part 1 describes the scope the Code and the procedures of application, the system of charges and the availability of internal review process as well as the avenue of complaint to the Office of the Commissioner for Administrative Complaints (COMAC) if an applicant is not satisfied with the way the Code has been applied.

The existing machinery of COMAC provides an independent redress mechanism to deal with any differences of interpretation that may arise in the application of the Code.

Part 2 of the Code sets out the 16 categories of information to which public access may be refused.

"With a few exceptions, the withholding of information is subject to a harm test whereby a department must consider whether any harm or prejudice that may result from disclosure outweighs the public interest in disclosure," Mr Weeks explained.

Charges for access to information will simply be the standard charge for making copies of the records to which access is granted.

Requests for access to information held by the nine pilot scheme departments/branches may be made on application forms or in writing to their respective Access to Information Officer.