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bgcolor="#FFFFFFF" style="BORDER-BOTTOM:#ffffff 1px solid;"> <tr> <td><img src="/web/20070205102718im_/http://www.culture.gov.uk/www.culture.gov.uk/images/layout/spacer1x1.gif" alt="" border="0"/></td> </tr> </table> <li><a href="/web/20070205102718/http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/FOI/QuickLinks/FOI_requests/" class="quicklink">freedom of information requests</a></li></ul></ul></span>  </div> <div id="contentWrapper">  <span id="DCMSBreadcrumbs1_BreadNavigation1"><ul id="breadCrumb"><li><a href="/web/20070205102718/http://www.culture.gov.uk/">home</a></li><li> > <a>freedom of information</a></li></ul></span> <a id="body"></a>  <div id="main">  <h1>freedom of information guide</h1>   <p class="intro"></p>  <div id="pageMainText"><span id="IntroText"><b><p>Welcome to the Department's Freedom of Information (FoI) pages. Within these pages you will find guidance on finding information already published by the Department. You will also find out how to make a FoI request, or if the information you require is covered by another Act.</p></b></span> <span id="BodyText"><p>From 1st January 2005, the FoI Act granted a right of access to any person who makes a written request to a public authority for information. Subject to certain exemptions, the applicant must be told if the Department holds the information and, if it does, be supplied with the information within 20 working days. All written requests for information will be treated as FoI requests.</p> <p>We hope you find the following pages informative and easy to use.</p></span> </div>  </div> <div id="extras">  <h2 class="top">websites of interest</h2> <table class="imgListRight" id="webInterest" width="100%"> <tr id="WebsitesOfInterest1_trWebsites1" valign="top"> <td class="col1"> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites5"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102718/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/20000036.htm" target="_blank"><img alt="Freedom of Information Act - opens a new window" src="/web/20070205102718im_/http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/10109F4F-D590-4CEA-A99A-81CE45262B46/0/crown_37x37.gif" border="0"></a></span> </td> <td> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites1"><a title="opens new browser window" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102718/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/20000036.htm" target="_blank">Freedom of Information Act</a></span> </td> </tr> <tr id="WebsitesOfInterest1_trWebsites2" valign="top"> <td class="col1"> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites6"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102718/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/19980029.htm" target="_blank"><img alt="Data Protection Act 1998 - opens a new window" src="/web/20070205102718im_/http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/10109F4F-D590-4CEA-A99A-81CE45262B46/0/crown_37x37.gif" border="0"></a></span> </td> <td> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites2"><p><a title="opens new browser window" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102718/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/19980029.htm" target="_blank">Data Protection Act 1998</a></p></span> </td> </tr> <tr id="WebsitesOfInterest1_trWebsites3" valign="top"> <td class="col1"> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites7"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102718/http://www.ico.gov.uk/" target="_blank"><img alt="Information Commissioner's Office - opens a new window" src="/web/20070205102718im_/http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/A6DA6DFB-60A9-4458-A537-9A10C90B2580/0/ico_37x37.gif" border="0"></a></span> </td> <td> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites3"><a title="opens new browser window" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102718/http://www.ico.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=33" target="_blank">Information Commissioner's Office</a></span> </td> </tr> <tr id="WebsitesOfInterest1_trWebsites4" valign="top" class="last"> <td class="col1"> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites8"><p><a href="/web/20070205102718/http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Research/statistics/Conf_Access_compl_st.htm"><img alt="DCMS confidentiality and access statement" src="/web/20070205102718im_/http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C83896E6-F12C-4998-B578-6C44DC302C17/0/dcms_37x37.gif" border="0"></a><a href="/web/20070205102718/http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Research/statistics/Conf_Access_compl_st.htm"></a></p></span> </td> <td> <span id="WebsitesOfInterest1_HtmPlhWebsites4"><a href="/web/20070205102718/http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Research/statistics/Conf_Access_compl_st.htm">DCMS confidentiality and access compliance statement</a></span> </td> </tr> </table> <h2>related information</h2> <p> <span id="RelatedInformation1_HtmPlhRelatedInfo"><p><a href="/web/20070205102718/http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/FOI_requests/default.htm">Freedom of information requests archives </a></p> <p><a href="/web/20070205102718/http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/FOI_requests/FOIRequestForm.htm">Make an online foi request</a></p></span> </p>  </div> </div> <div class="clear"></div> </div>  <div class="footerIcon"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="bottom"> <p style="LEFT: 180px; 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