The bulk of the proposed curtailments to the Freedom of Information Act relate to the business of Cabinet.
One of the principal changes is that Cabinet documents be released after 10 years, instead of after five years, from this April.
A new up-front fee for requests for information, expected to be set at around , will be levied in the new regime. There will be no charge for requests for personal information.
Provisions in relation to the release of personal information are to be restricted. Only records which "contain" personal information will be subject to release. Previously, this provision extended to records which "relate to" personal information.
One of the most controversial planned restrictions is the exemption on communications between ministers and the papers produced by groups of consultants and officials advising Cabinet members.
Correspondence between civil servants can come under the sweep of the 10- year exemption on Cabinet papers.
The definition of what constitutes Cabinet documents will be widened to include papers produced "primarily" for Government. In the old regime, the exemption covered only papers created "solely" for a government meeting.
Records relating to the preparation of responses to parliamentary questions will be subject to exemption. In addition, records relating to tribunals which are held by public bodies will be exempt.
The right to appeal a refusal to see policy papers is to be set aside where the policy process is certified as "ongoing". Up to now such documents were open to scrutiny after a Government decision has been finalised and could be seen at the draft policy stage if that was deemed to be in the public interest.
ARTHUR BEESLEY