{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-act-2000/section-20",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-act-2000/section-20.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2000/36",
  "legislation_title": "Freedom of Information Act 2000",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-act-2000",
  "path": "section/20",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "20",
  "heading": "Model publication schemes.",
  "text": "(1) The Commission may from time to time approve, in relation to public authorities falling within particular classes, model publication schemes prepared by the Commission or by other persons.\n(2) Where a public authority falling within the class to which an approved model scheme relates adopts such a scheme without modification, no further approval of the Commission is required so long as the model scheme remains approved; and where such an authority adopts such a scheme with modifications, the approval of the Commission is required only in relation to the modifications.\n(3) The Commission may, when approving a model publication scheme, provide that its approval is to expire at the end of a specified period.\n(4) Where the Commission has approved a model publication scheme, the Commission may at any time publish, in such manner as the Commission thinks fit, a notice revoking its approval of the scheme as from the end of the period of six months beginning with the day on which the notice is published.\n(5) Where the Commission refuses to approve a proposed model publication scheme on the application of any person, the Commission must give the person who applied for approval of the scheme a statement of the reasons for the refusal.\n(6) Where the Commission refuses to approve any modifications under subsection (2), the Commission must give the public authority a statement of the reasons for the refusal.\n(7) Where the Commission revokes its approval of a model publication scheme, the Commission must include in the notice under subsection (4) a statement of its reasons for doing so.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(1) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(a)(i); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(1) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(a)(ii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(2) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(b); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(3) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(c)(i); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(3) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(c)(ii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(4) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(d)(i); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(4) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(d)(ii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(4) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(d)(iii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(5) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(e)(i); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(5) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(e)(ii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(5) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(e)(iii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(6) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(f)(i); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(6) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(f)(ii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(6) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(f)(iii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(7) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(g)(i); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "Word in s. 20(7) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(g)(ii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Words in s. 20(7) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(g)(iii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 20 wholly in force at 1.1.2005; s. 20 in force for certain purposes at Royal Assent, see s. 87(1)(c)(3); s. 20 otherwise in force at 1.1.2005 by S.I. 2004/3122, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/20",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:20:36.241606+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}