Introduction

Legal requirement
What is a publication scheme?
The model publication scheme for higher education
Who we are
Accessing information covered by the publication scheme
What about information not covered by the publication scheme?
Ordering Copies

1. Legal requirement

1.1 Adopting a publication scheme is a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act promotes greater openness and accountability across the public sector by requiring all 'public authorities' to make information available proactively, through a publication scheme.

1.2 'Public authorities' are defined in the Act and include universities, further education colleges and sixth form colleges.

2. What is a publication scheme?

2.1 A publication scheme is a document which describes the information a public authority publishes, or intends to publish. In this context, 'publish' means to make information available, routinely. These descriptions are called 'classes of information'. The scheme is not a list of the actual publications, because this will change as new material is published or existing material revised. It is, however, the public authority's commitment to make available the information described.

2.2 A publication scheme must set out the classes, or categories, of information published. It must also make clear how the information described can be accessed and whether or not charges will be made.

3. The model publication scheme for higher education

3.1 The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has adopted the model publication scheme developed for the Higher Education sector and is therefore committed to publishing the information it describes.

3.2 This model is designed for universities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the model is to save institutions duplicating effort in producing individual schemes and to assist the public in accessing information from across the sector. However, to reflect the diversity in size and function of institution, a number of optional classes of information are included. As a result, models within the sector will vary slightly. Any optional classes relevant to us have been included in our scheme.

4. Who we are

The RVC is a self-governing college of the University of London, a federation of colleges and research institutes. The RVC is the United Kingdom's largest, oldest and only independent veterinary school and is one of the leading international veterinary institutions, attracting undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers from the UK and around the globe.

Within the college, authority is delegated to various boards, committees and principal officers under the Governing Body. Further information about the RVC's internal structure and history is provided by the items listed in the section How we Make Decisions.

5. Accessing information covered by the publication scheme

5.1 Most information described in our publication scheme is available via the website free of charge. Material provided by email as a result of a request for information not on our website will normally be provided free of charge. There may however be a charge levied on anything that is either requested as a print copy or which can only be provided in print format. In such cases charges will cover such actual costs as printing or photocopying and postage. If a charge is to be made, the amount will be confirmed to the requestor before the information is provided and payment may be requested before the material is supplied.

5.2 Where information is not available electronically, please contact:

FOI Officer
RVC Library
Hawkshead Lane
North Mymms
Hatfield
AL9 7TA
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1707 666384
Email: FOI@RVC.ac.uk

5.3 Please note that a publication scheme relates to 'published' information. Therefore, material covered has already been prepared in a format ready for distribution.

6. What about information not covered by the publication scheme?

6.1 From 1 January 2005 you have had the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request any information held by a public authority which it has not already made available through its publication scheme.

6.2 Requests have to be made in writing and, in general, public authorities will have 20 working days to respond. They may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. They will not be required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies. However, public authorities may be required to explain to the applicant why they are not releasing information and they may also have to justify this to the Information Commissioner.

6.3 For further information on how to submit a request to the RVC, see Submitting a Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Request.

7. RVC Publications

7.1. RVC publications
The publication scheme indicates where information is contained in a publication which the RVC sells commercially. You will be charged the current retail price for the publication, plus any other charges (such as postage and packing) which are applied to purchasers. Details of current publications and prices are available from the FOI Officer.

7.2 Archives and manuscripts
Archives and manuscripts in the custody of the RVC Library are available for consultation in the Special Collections Reading Room of the Library. Material is normally available in paper format, and may be consulted without charge by you or someone acting on your behalf, subject to the rules governing access to the Library. There are charges for photocopying and other reprographic services, which may be different from the copying charges which apply to other information covered by the Publication Scheme. Details of current copying charges for archives and manuscripts are set out on the Library's website, and in reprographics leaflets which can be obtained on request from Special Collections. See Class 6.1 for further information.

7.3. How to order
Orders for RVC publications should be placed by contacting the RVC's Publications Office, while orders for copies of archives and manuscripts in the custody of the RVC Library should be placed by contacting Special Collections in the Library (see Class 6.1 for contact details). In all other cases, you can request copies of information covered by the RVC's publication scheme by contacting the RVC at the following address:

FOI Officer
RVC Library
Hawkshead Lane
North Mymms
Hatfield, AL9 7TA
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1707 666384
Email: FOI@RVC.ac.uk

On receipt of your request, we will inform you of any charges that apply. Payment must be received in advance before copies can be supplied.

7.4 Re-use of information
The copyright of information included in the RVC's publication scheme will be owned by the RVC unless otherwise indicated. The supply of information under the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental Information Regulations does not give the person or organisation who receives it an automatic right to re-use the information in a way which would infringe copyright, for example, by making multiple copies, publishing and issuing copies to the public.

Brief extracts of material covered by the publication scheme may be reproduced under the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (sections 29 and 30) for the purposes of research for non-commercial purposes, private study, criticism, review and news reporting. More extensive re-use must only be carried out with prior written permission from the RVC.

Enquiries about the re-use of material should be directed to the RVC's FOI Officer: see How to order for contact details.

7.5 Feedback and Complaints
The RVC welcomes comments and suggestions relating to its Freedom of Information Publication Scheme. We would also like to hear from you if you have a complaint about the Scheme or the supply of information to you under the Scheme.

Comments, suggestions and complaints should initially be sent in writing to the FOI Officer at the following address:

FOI Officer
RVC Library
Hawkshead Lane
North Mymms
Hatfield, AL9 7TA
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1707 666384
Email: FOI@RVC.ac.uk

The FOI Officer will respond in writing as soon as possible, and in all cases within 20 working days.

If you are dissatisfied with the response which you receive, you may ask for a review of your case using our internal procedures. Please send your complaint in writing to the Librarian, RVC Library at the following address:

The Assistant Principal and College Secretary
Royal Veterinary College
Hawkshead Lane
North Mymms
Hatfield, AL9 7TA
London WC1H 0XG
United Kingdom

Fax: +44 (0)1707 666322
Email: FOI@RVC.ac.uk

The Assistant Principal will acknowledge your complaint within seven working days, and will convene a panel to investigate it. A response will be sent to you within 40 working days of receipt of your complaint. If it includes a decision that information should be released to you, the information will be provided to you as soon as possible.

If you are dissatisfied with the RVC's response to your complaint, you can ask the Information Commissioner to determine whether the RVC is complying with its legal duties in regard to publication schemes under the Freedom of Information Act. The Commissioner has discretionary powers to enforce the adoption of a publication scheme, or the disclosure of information which falls within the classes of a publication scheme if he is satisfied that a public authority is not complying with its duties under the Act. The Commissioner can be contacted at the following address:

Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel. 020 7025 7580
Fax. 01625 524510
www.ico.gov.uk

7.6 Further information
More information about the Freedom of Information Act is available on the Information Commissioner's website

Please note that Scotland has its own Freedom of Information Act and Information Commissioner. For more information, please see the Scottish Government's website

FOI Contact Details

FOI Officer
Library and Information Services Division
Royal Veterinary College
Hawkshead Lane
North Mymms
Hatfield
AL9 7TA
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1707 666535
Email: FOI@RVC.ac.uk

See: Submitting a request for information on submitting Freedom of Information or Environmental Information requests