Section 74 — Freedom of Information Act 2000: Power to make provision relating to environmental information.

Power to make provision relating to environmental information. 74 1 In this section “ the Aarhus Convention ” means the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters signed at Aarhus on 25th June 1998.

2 For the purposes of this section “ the information provisions ” of the Aarhus Convention are Article 4, together with Articles 3 and 9 so far as relating to that Article.

3 The Secretary of State may by regulations make such provision as he considers appropriate—

a for the purpose of implementing the information provisions of the Aarhus Convention or any amendment of those provisions made in accordance with Article 14 of the Convention, and b for the purpose of dealing with matters arising out of or related to the implementation of those provisions or of any such amendment.

4 Regulations under subsection (3) may in particular—

a enable charges to be made for making information available in accordance with the regulations, b provide that any obligation imposed by the regulations in relation to the disclosure of information is to have effect notwithstanding any enactment or rule of law, c make provision for the issue by the Secretary of State of a code of practice, d provide for sections 47 and 48 to apply in relation to such a code with such modifications as may be specified, e provide for any of the provisions of Parts IV and V to apply, with such modifications as may be specified in the regulations, in relation to compliance with any requirement of the regulations, and f contain such transitional or consequential provision (including provision modifying any enactment) as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

5 This section has effect subject to section 80.