How to Access Information

Any request for information held by/on behalf of a public authority or a body carrying out a public function is technically an FOI request in the first instance. Section 39 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) then exempts environmental information from being dealt with under the FOI Act and provides it should be dealt with under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

If it is determined that part/all of the information requested is personal information, where the applicant is the subject of the information, access to that information will be dealt with under the Data Protection Act 1998.

In effect the three pieces of legislation work together, the Environmental Information Regulations enabling access to environmental information, the Data Protection Act 1998 enabling access to personal information of which the applicant is the subject, and the Freedom of Information Act enabling access to all other information.

Please see the flowchart (pdf)as to what information should be dealt with under which access regime.

Anyone wishing to access Personal Data About themselves should complete the Data Protection Subject Access Request Form. (pdf) This applies to staff, students, former students and anyone else The City University may hold personal information about.

Anyone wishing to access information about City University London should complete the FOI/EIR Request form (pdf). Prior to completing this form you should check the information is not available via the City University London FOI Publication Scheme.

Anyone wishing to access Environmental Information should complete the Request form (pdf).

If you are unhappy about the information you have received, or have not received the required information, you should refer to the complaints process.