The obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”) apply to public authorities. For the purposes of the Act, a “public authority” includes a body or office which is designated by an order under section 5 of the Act. Section 5(1)(a) of the Act provides that the Secretary of State may, subject to certain limitations, by order designate as a public authority for the purposes of the Act a person who appears to the Secretary of State to exercise functions of a public nature.