Introduction

8.1 This chapter provides information about the protection, availability, and disclosure of official information, including information about individual people (often referred to as "personal information"). The chapter covers:

1. the importance of protecting official information (subject to authorised disclosure);
2. the security classification of official documents and the unauthorised disclosure of official information;
3. the key aspects of the Official Information Act 1982, the Privacy Act 1993, the Public Records Act 2005, and the Ombudsmen Act 1975, particularly as those Acts relate to Ministers and Cabinet;
4. the provision of information to select committees and the production or discovery of official documents in legal proceedings;
5. the preservation and archiving of ministerial records;
6. the convention on access to documents of a previous administration, and guidelines for former Ministers on the disclosure and use of official information.