Yvette Cooper

Ministers have moved to widen the scope of the Freedom of Information Act.

The government has laid an order in parliament to extend the application of the act to a further 29 public bodies.

The bodies now falling under the scope of the act include the Strategic Rail Authority, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council.

With bodies ranging from Whitehall departments to primary schools and hospitals already covered by the act, provisions allow for further bodies to be added at any time.

Yvette Cooper, the minister in the Lord Chancellor's Department with a lead role on freedom of information, said the 29 bodies would "become more open and accountable".

"This Order represents a further step in opening up information to members of the public and demonstrates the government's continuing work in bringing the Freedom of Information Act into force," she said.

The legislation is being brought into force in stages between November 2002 and January 2005.

It establishes a right to be told whether information is held by a public authority, and a right to have that information supplied to you - subject to certain discretionary exemptions.

There will also be a duty on public authorities to adopt a scheme for the proactive publication of information. And the independent Information Commissioner will enforce the rights and duties created by the act.

The new bodies are:

• The Adjudication Panel for Wales

• The All-Wales Medicines Strategy Group

• The Care Council for Wales

• The Certification Officer (for Trade Unions and Employers' Associations)

• The Children's Commissioner for Wales

• The Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses

• The Consumer Council for Postal Services (also known as Postwatch)

• The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

• The Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel, in relation to information held by it otherwise than as a tribunal

• The Electoral Commission

• The Gas and Electricity Consumer Council (also known as Energywatch)

• The General Social Care Council

• The General Teaching Council for Wales

• The National Care Standards Commission

• The National Council for Education and Training for Wales

• Any Rail Passengers' Committee established under section 2(2) of the Railways Act 1993 (at present the Rail Passenger Committees for: Eastern England, the Midlands, North Eastern England, North Western England, Southern England, Western England, Wales, Scotland)

• The Standards Board for England

• The Strategic Rail Authority

• The Belfast Harbour Commissioners

• The Certification Officer for Northern Ireland

• The Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners

• The Warrenpoint Harbour Authority