“The following guidance is aimed at people working in central government departments who deal with freedom of information requests. It may also be a useful reference tool for those working in other public authorities.”
Ministry of Justice, 14th May 2008
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“Secret deals between industry players and politicians have long been part of government business. Now, says Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, they will be subject to scrutiny.”
The Independent, 9th May 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“More than 600 staff at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have been disciplined for accessing personal or sensitive data, it has been revealed.”
BBC News, 1st May 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Yesterday’s court rulings highlight the delicate relationship between the executive and the judiciary — one in which judges increasingly hold ministers to account, and find them wanting.”
The Times, 25th April 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The Government’s procurement arm has begun talks with all 48 firms on the Catalist legal panel, amid continued problems with the much-hyped attempt to centralise Whitehall legal spending.”
Legal Week, 24th April 2008
Source: www.legalweek.com
“The Department of Health is not dealing with freedom of information (FOI) requests properly because of a lack of staff, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said. The ICO has rebuked the Government department over its FOI behaviour.”
OUT-LAW.com, 14th April 2008
Source: www.out-law.com
“A request was made for a copy of the current internal departmental guidelines for briefing a minister. Below are copies of the guidelines requested. These cover submissions and briefings for the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, other departmental ministers and the Permanent Secretary.”
Ministry of Justice, 28th March 2008
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“The Government argues that policy decision-making requires ‘space to think’ and should remain safe from prying eyes. Is this in the public interest? asks Maurice Frankel.”
The Independent, 28th March 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“The minister responsible for data protection should be more powerful according to a Parliamentary committee which has also condemned the Government for not taking data protection seriously enough.”
OUT-LAW.com, 18th March 2008
Source: www.out-law.com
“The government has persistently failed to take data protection ‘sufficiently seriously’ the Joint Committee on Human Rights has warned.”
BBC News, 14th March 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The emergence of Civil Service blogger who used the internet to lampoon her employers and cabinet ministers has forced the Government to set out new guidance for its staff covering blogging and online social networks.”
Daily Telegraph, 10th March 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“More than 1,000 laptops have been lost or stolen from government departments in recent years, new figures have revealed.”
The Guardian, 4th March 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Ministers and the Commons’ authorities have lost two key battles to keep sensitive information under wraps. Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, says the tide may be turning against those who advocate secret government.”
The Independent, 29th February 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“The Home Office has launched an investigation into how an optical disc holding confidential information was discovered hidden beneath the keyboard of a laptop bought on the online auction site eBay.”
The Guardian, 28th February 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Why are we asking this now?
Because the Government has been ordered to release the minutes of two key cabinet meetings held in the run up to the Iraq invasion in 2003. The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has ordered the Government to hand over the minutes after it initially turned down a request for them made under the Freedom of Information Act.”
The Independent, 28th February 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Regina (Bradley and Others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Others
Court of Appeal
“Where the Parliament Commissioner for Administration had found maladministration in a ministerial department, the minister was not entitled to reject that finding without good reason.”
The Times, 25th February 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
R (Bradley and others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and others; [2008] WLR (D) 38
“Where the Parliamentary Commissioner had found maladministration in a ministerial department, the Secretary of State, although not bound by the Commissioner’s decision, was not entitled to reject the Commissioner’s finding on the basis that he preferred another view which could not be categorised as irrational.”
WLR Daily, 8th February 2008
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“Today I am talking to Carl Gardner, author of the Head of Legal blog. Carl was a government lawyer for ten years specialising in Constitutional and EU Law issues. Now freelance, Carl has some useful views today about the Peter Hain resignation, the Police investigation, possible charges, the new Counter Terrorism proposals being debated in Parliament and he is keeping a watching brief on the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – the EU Treaty debate in The House of Commons.”
Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com
“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of Consilio.tv
Related link: Head of Legal blog
“Four CDs containing personal details from court cases have gone missing in the post, the government has admitted.”
BBC News, 23rd January 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The Ministry of Defence is investigating the reported loss of 69 laptops and seven personal computers over the past year, officials revealed yesterday, as Whitehall staff were banned from removing laptops containing sensitive data from their offices.”
The Guardian, 22nd January 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
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