Tougher line on bodies that flout Freedom of Information requests
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The Information Commissioner’s Office has unveiled tougher measures it will take against public bodies that routinely fail to deal with Freedom of Information requests properly.
Organisations will face action from the ICO if they regularly fail to issue a response on time, refuse to disclose information without specifying an exemption, or if they fail to respond to a request altogether.
The ICO hopes the tougher approach to enforcing the Freedom of Information Act will ensure individuals get speedier responses from public bodies.
The ICO will be making more use of regulatory powers including enforcement notices, undertakings and practice recommendations to improve compliance.
Under these powers the ICO can publicly censure an organisation and can commit an organisation to improving its practices.
Where there is evidence that a public authority is regularly or seriously failing to meet its obligations, the ICO says it will not hesitate to take regulatory action, particularly where organisations fail to respond to requests in a timely manner.
The ICO has identified timeliness as a key target for action as around a quarter of all complaints about FOIs relate to the time taken.
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Readers' comments (2)
Anonymous | 21 Jul 2010 4:27 pm
I wrote on 21st May to the Dept. for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (now the BIS, but at the same address) requesting formally details of what, if any, resources are deployed to enforce the provisions of the Statutory Code of Practice for Regulators, specifically with regard to the FSA.
On 14th July, I received a response from the Treasury, to whom the BIS had simply passed my request along (i.e. simply washed their hands of it), saying that they (the Treasury) were referring it to the FSA for a response (as yet, none received).
Hardly inspires confidence in the system, does it?
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paul | 22 Jul 2010 0:12 am
Wrote to Sesame requesting disclosure under FOInfo and they refused. My complaint went to the commissioner 9 months ago and they still have not reviewed it. Pots and kettles.
FOS refused disclosure on grounds they are exempt- probably on the standard reason"don't you know we are above the law".
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