Environmental regulations passed by Parliament this week are set to give the public even greater rights to access information held by public bodies than the Freedom of Information Act 2000, when they come into force next January.

Under the regulations, public bodies that wish to keep secret environmental information will have to show that the public interest in withholding it outweighs the public interest in disclosure, in all circumstances of the case.


There will be a presumption in favour of disclosure, and members of the public who are refused information will have the right to raise the matter with the Information Commissioner free of charge.


The regulations are broadly supported by Friends of the Earth.