Definition documents 2021
These set out the types of information we would expect particular types of authority to publish and list in their guide to information. For more details on using these, see our guidance on using the definition documents (pdf). Definition documents have not been produced for some smaller authorities as they have their own template guides to information, which are included below.
Central Government
Northern Ireland
- The Northern Ireland Assembly
- Northern Ireland Government departments
- Northern Ireland non departmental public bodies
- District Councils, Northern Ireland
- Education and library boards, Northern Ireland
Wales
- The Welsh Parliament
- The Welsh Parliament (Cymraeg)
- The Welsh Government
- The Welsh Government (Cymraeg)
- The Welsh Government sponsored bodies
- The Welsh Government sponsored bodies (Cymraeg)
Local Government
- Principal local authorities
- Joint authorities and boards
eg fire and rescue authorities, passenger transport authorities, waste disposal authorities, port health authorities, where established as a joint or combined authority. - Inshore fisheries and conservation authorities
- National parks and Broads authorities and conservation boards
- Charter Trustees
- Template guide to information for parish councils
- Template guide to information for parish meetings
- Template guide to information for Community/Town Councils in Wales
- Template guide to information for Community/Town Councils in Wales (Cymraeg)
Health
- Health bodies in England
- Health bodies in Wales
- Health bodies in Wales (Cymraeg)
- Community Health Councils, Wales
- Community Health Councils, Wales (Cymraeg)
- Health bodies in Northern Ireland
- Health regulators
- Patient and Client Care Council - Northern Ireland
- Template guide to information for dentists
- Template guide to information for dentists (Cymraeg)
- Template guide to information for general practitioners
- Template guide to information for general practitioners (Cymraeg)
- Template guide to information for optical contractors
- Template guide to information for optical contractors (Cymraeg)
- Template guide to information for pharmacy businesses
- Template guide to information for pharmacy businesses (Cymraeg)
Education
- Higher education institutions
- Colleges of further education
- Schools in England
- Schools in Northern Ireland
- Schools in Wales
- Schools in Wales (Cymraeg)
- Template guide to information for schools
- Template guide to information for schools (Cymraeg)
- How to complete the guide to information for schools
- How to complete the guide to information for schools (Cymraeg)
Police
Other Bodies
- Armed Forces
- Museums, libraries, art galleries and historical collections
- Non departmental public bodies
- Wholly owned companies
Can’t find your sector specific definition document or template guide to information ?
The ICO has now published a sector specific definition document for most public authorities. These documents accompany the new model publication scheme and are a guide to the types of information we expect authorities to proactively publish.
There may be organisations specified in Schedule 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, eg Advisory NDPBs, who feel their role is too specialised to adopt the Non Departmental Public Bodies definition document. Although we recommend this as a starting point the ICO will welcome any suggestions on refining this definition document to make it more appropriate to these bodies.