Section 20 — Official Information Act 1982: Publication setting out functions of Departments and organisations

20 Publication setting out functions of Departments and organisations (1) The Ministry of Justice shall cause to be published, not later than the end of the year 1989, a publication that includes in respect of each Department and each organisation,— (a) A description of its structure, functions, and responsibilities including those of any of its statutory officers or advisory committees; and (b) A general description of the categories of documents held by it; and (c) A description of all manuals, and similar types of documents which contain policies, principles, rules, or guidelines in accordance with which decisions or recommendations are made in respect of any person or body of persons in his or her or its personal capacity; and (d) A statement of any information that needs to be available to members of the public who wish to obtain official information from the Department or organisation, which statement shall include particulars of the officer or officers to whom requests for official information or particular classes of information should be sent. (2) The Ministry of Justice shall, at intervals of not more than 2 years, bring the material contained in the publication published under subsection (1) of this section up to date either by publishing a new edition of that publication or by publishing supplementary material. (2A) In complying with subsection (2) , the Ministry of Justice may publish a new edition or supplementary material on an Internet website and in an electronic form that is publicly accessible (at all reasonable times), so long as the Ministry also publishes that edition or material in any other manner and form that is necessary in the light of the need specified in subsection (4) . (3) Each Department and each organisation shall assist the Ministry of Justice to comply with subsections (1) and (2) of this section and shall supply to the Ministry of Justice such information as it requires for the purposes of those subsections. (4) In complying with subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the Ministry of Justice shall have regard, among other things, to the need to assist members of the public to obtain official information and to effectively exercise their rights under this Act. (5) Where there is good reason under section 6 or section 7 or section 9(2)(b) of this Act for withholding official information, nothing in this section requires the publication of that official information. Subsection (1)(c) was amended, as from 12 December 1983, by section 3 Official Information Amendment Act 1983 (1983 No 83) by substituting the words “ or recommendations are made in respect of ” for the words “ are made affecting ” . Subsection (2) was amended, as from 1 April 1987, by section 11(1) Official Information Amendment Act 1987 (1987 No 8) by substituting the words “ , at intervals of not more than 2 years ” for the words “ in the year 1985, and in each subsequent year ” . Subsection (5) was amended, as from 1 April 1987, by section 4(2) Official Information Amendment Act 1987 (1987 No 8) by substituting the expression “ section 9(2)(b) ” for the expression “ section 8(1) ” . Section 20 was substituted, as from 1 December 1989, by section 3(1) Official Information Amendment Act 1989 (1989 No 122). See section 3(2) and (3) of that Act for the transitional provisions. Subsections (1) and (2) were amended, as from 1 October 1995, by section 10(3) Department of Justice (Restructuring) Act 1995 (1995 No 39) by substituting the words “ Ministry of Justice ” for the words “ Department of Justice ” . Subsection (2A) was inserted, as from 22 October 2003, by section 4 Official Information Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 90). Subsections (3) and (4) were amended, as from 1 October 1995, by section 10(3) Department of Justice (Restructuring) Act 1995 (1995 No 39) by substituting the words “ Ministry of Justice ” for the words “ Department of Justice ” .