Public authority
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) defines a public authority as any body which, any other person who, or the holder of any office which:
- Is listed in schedule 1, or
- Is designated by order under section 5, or
- A publicly-owned company as defined by section 6.
Schedule 1 suggests that public authorities include:
- Government departments.
- Legislative bodies.
- The armed forces.
- Local government.
- The National Health Service.
- The Police.
- Maintained schools.
- Further and higher education institutions.
- Other public bodies, including individually named non-departmental public bodies.
Section 4(4) of the Act permits certain additions to and removals from schedule 1.
Section 5 permits the Secretary of State to designate bodies as public authorities if they appear to be carrying out functions of a public nature or are contracted to provide a service which is a function of a public authority.
Section 6 suggests that a company is publicly-owned if:
- It is wholly owned by the Crown,
- It is wholly owned by the wider public sector, or
- It is wholly owned by the Crown and the wider public sector.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Composition of UK construction industry 2013.
- Construction industry institutes and associations.
- Government departments responsibility for construction.
- Local authority.
- Local government.
- Local planning authority.
- Planning authority.
- Public body.
- Public building.
- Public contracting authority.
- UK.
- Unitary authority.
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
Historic England publishes research into embodied carbon when retrofitting traditional buildings.
New Prime Minister delivers on ECA call for cut in electricity costs.
CIOB reacts to the announcement of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister.
Heritage and conservation science workforce survey - Have your say.
England's Suburbs 1820-2020. Book review.
New, more proportionate and targeted approach for higher-risk building assessments.
Government brings British Steel into public ownership.
UKCW Birmingham returns with bold new theme and focus.
New guidance published on competence requirements for self-certification schemes.
Construction Management, 8 July
NEETs crisis drives interest in trades, but apprenticeships barriers remain.
Passive fire protection webinar
MEP services penetration seals.
Where its at podcast (and video) - The role of the Architectural Technologist as an Expert Witness.