Government criticised for keeping Iraq war talks secret – BBC News
“The decision to keep Iraq war cabinet minutes secret is ‘disappointing’, the UK information commissioner has said.”
BBC News, 1st August 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: freedom of information
Justice committee’s report on FOIA – Commentary on the ss.35 & 36 recommendations – Panopticon
“As Tim Pitt-Payne QC commented in his post on the report earlier today, the Committee’s report has not landed a bombshell in the middle of the FOIA landscape. To a very large extent, the report endorses the current structure and content of the legislation, something which the Commissioner clearly welcomes. However, whilst the Committee has largely resisted calls for FOIA to be amended, it has commented fairly extensively on how the Act should be applied in practice. This commentary is doubtless going to influence the evolution of FOIA case-law for the foreseeable future.”
Panopticon, 26th July 2012
Source: www.panopticonblog.com
Higher fines should be issuable against bodies that tamper with FOI data, says Commons committee – OUT-LAW.com
“Public bodies should face higher fines for destroying or altering information that is ‘disclosable’ under freedom of information (FOI) laws, a committee of MPs has recommended.”
OUT-LAW.com, 26th July 2012
Source: www.out-law.com
David Cameron criticised for attacks on Freedom of Information Act – The Guardian
“The information commissioner has accused David Cameron and other members of the political establishment of launching a damaging attack on the Freedom of Information Act which he says is encouraging civil servants to obscure the government from proper scrutiny.”
The Guardian, 16th July 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Move to ’20-year-rule’ for secret papers will cost £52m – BBC News
“The Ministry of Justice says reducing the ’30-year rule’ for publishing secret government papers to 20 years will cost up to £52m.”
BBC News, 13th July 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
No backtrack on Freedom of Information Act – The Guardian
“Pressure from former senior Labour figures, including Tony Blair and Jack Straw, as well as Whitehall mandarins, to ‘turn back the clock’ on freedom of information legislation has been decisively rejected by an all-party group of MPs.”
The Guardian, 8th July 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Hillsborough disaster’s families to get access to secret documents – The Guardian
“Families bereaved by the Hillsborough tragedy have learned that they will get access to secret police and government documents within three months after a long campaign for the papers to be released.”
The Guardian, 20th June 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Emails detailing phone call conversations can hold confidential information that public bodies should not disclose – OUT-LAW.com
“A local authority in London was ‘justified’ in not disclosing an email that recorded the ‘substance’ of a telephone conversation between a staff member and a third party because it would have been a breach of confidence to do so, an Information Rights Tribunal has ruled.”
OUT-LAW.com, 22nd May 2012
Source: www.out-law.com
Bush and Blair’s pre-Iraq conversation must be disclosed, tribunal rules – The Guardian
“Extracts of a phone conversation between Tony Blair and George Bush a few days before the invasion of Iraq must be disclosed, a tribunal has ruled.”
The Guardian, 21st May 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
NHS reform risk report veto is sign of freedom of information downgrade, says watchdog – The Independent
“Blocking the publication of a report into the risks of NHS reforms is a sign that ministers want to downgrade freedom of information laws, a watchdog has warned.”
The Independent, 15th May 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
NHS risk register’s publication vetoed by cabinet – The Guardian
“The official assessment of the risks involved in the government’s NHS shakeup will never be published after the cabinet exercised its rare right of veto to keep it secret.”
The Guardian, 8th May 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Six fines issued for data breaches – The Independent
“Six public bodies were fined over personal data security breaches in the last year despite hundreds of reported cases, a report said today.”
The Independent, 25th April 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Names of staff members who dealt with complaints are not necessarily personal data, Tribunal says – OUT-LAW.com
“The names of three junior members of staff who had handled complaints made to the financial services regulator should have been disclosed as part of a freedom of information request as disclosure ‘did not adversely affect their privacy’, a tribunal has ruled.”
OUT-LAW.com, 18th April 2012
Source: www.out-law.com
“Thinking the unthinkable”? Freedom of information and the NHS Risk Register – UK Human Rights Blog
“In a recent post, Panopticon brought you, hot-off-the-press, the Tribunal’s decision in the much-publicised case involving publication, under Freedom of Information Law, of the NHS Risk Register. Somewhat less hot-off-the-press are my observations. This is a very important decision, both for its engagement with the legislative process and for its analysis of the public interest with respect to section 35(1)(a) of Freedom of Information Act 2000 (formulation or development of government policy) – particularly the ‘chilling effect’ argument. At the outset, it is important to be clear about what was being requested and when.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 16th April 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Security bodies, private emails: parallels between the UK and US – UK Human Rights Blog
“Today was one of striking parallels between the USA and the UK in terms of litigation concerned with access to information.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 12th April 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Courts confiscate firearms and knives in east of England – BBC News
“Seven firearms, about 50 replica guns and nearly 3,000 knives have been confiscated in courts in the east of England over the past three years, the BBC can reveal.”
BBC News, 9th April 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Public interest ‘high’ in publishing NHS risk register – BBC News
“The public interest in publishing a risk assessment of the NHS overhaul in England is ‘very high, if not exceptional’, a tribunal has ruled.”
BBC News, 5th April 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Daft’ FoI requests can be ignored – Law Society’s Gazette
“Public bodies can safely ignore requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FoI) for their plans to deal with zombie invasions. Graham Smith, deputy information commissioner, told the Solicitors in Local Government annual weekend school last week that ‘silly and daft’ requests would be covered by existing guidance on vexatious requests.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 5th April 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Details of names and roles of senior council officials involved in recruitment subject to disclosure under FOI, Tribunal rules – OUT-LAW.com
“Councils should be prepared to disclose the names of senior staff members involved in recruiting senior councillors or officials as well as details of the role they played in that recruitment, an Information Rights Tribunal has ruled.”
OUT-LAW.com, 4th April 2012
Source: www.out-law.com
Michael Gove appeals against ruling on misuse of email – The Guardian
“The education secretary, Michael Gove, is challenging a ruling by the information commissioner that he used a private email account for departmental business.”
The Guardian, 29th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
