Changes we would like made to FOI law

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See also: Changes we would like made to increase the transparency of public bodies in the UK


Freedom of Information Act 2000

Time limits for internal reviews

At present there is no fixed time limit in law for carrying out internal reviews. The current time limit for responding to requests for information is twenty working days we suggest that the time limit for internal reviews is also set at twenty working days.

This is already the case under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.[1]

Time limits for public interest tests

At present there is no fixed time limit in law for carrying out public interest tests. This means that in practice a public authority must respond in full to an FOI request within twenty days except where a public interest test is being considered in which case there is no fixed time limit for responding to the request.

We suggest the time limit for dealing with FOI requests including considering the public interest test is set at twenty days - this is already the case under the Freedom of Information Act (Scotland) 2002.

Add more public authorities

There are many bodies with substantial public responsibilities which are not currently subject to the FOIA. We would like to see serious consideration given to adding those which appear to have been omitted.

This involves both closing loopholes in the FOIA (eg. bodies wholly owned by two or more authorities which themselves are subject to the act being exempt) and adding specific new bodies to the list of those covered in schedule 1 of the FOIA.

Public sector contracts

Alter the exemptions in s41 and s43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 so these cannot be used as a reason not to disclose public contracts. These exemptions relate to:

  • s41 information provided in confidence
  • s43 commercial interests

There is a clear public interest in opening up public sector contracts to public scrutiny and so these should be released unless there is a really good reason not to provide them such as National Security.

Harm test

Information should be withheld only where there is a good reason not just any reason.

Under the UK Act a public body can use an exemption to withhold information if they can demonstrate "prejudice" to a specified interest. Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 the public authority must show that disclosure would "substantially prejudice" a specified interest. [2]

We would suggest that the UK Act should require public bodies to demonstrate 'substantial prejudice' before using an exemption to withhold information.

Intended for future publication

We would stop the "intended for future publication" exemption to information not scheduled for publication within 90 days of the date of the request.

We would suggest that public authorities have to demonstrate there existed prior to receipt of the request a committed plan in place to publish in order to rely on the exemption.

Prejudice to public affairs

The test should be objective (based on fact) and not based on opinion.

Destruction of information that has been requested under FOI

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002:

"section (s.1(5)) prevents destruction of documents unless “not reasonably practicable”. Clear from Justice Minister's comments that relates to info “already on a lorry... trundling towards the incinerator”. (Stage 3 debate)."[3]:

We suggest that a similar clause is added to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which does not offer strong safeguards against requested documents being destroyed. The difference is mainly relevant in cases where a document has been requested and after the request is made a public official decides to destroy the document in line with the public body's document retention policy.

Statutory prohibitions on releasing information

S.44 of the FOIA provides an exemption from release of any information disclosure of which would be contrary to any other piece of legislation.

We suggest:

  • Amending this exemption by requiring the public authority carry out a public interest test when invoking it. The public interest test could be required to take into account the spirit and rationale of the reasons for prohibition of disclosure by the original acts.
  • Ministers should use their existing powers under S75 of the FOIA to review and repeal unnecessary restrictions on information publication as part of their wider efforts to increase transparency and openness in Government
  • Expanding the "Impact Assessment" process to include an assessment of the impact of any new law on Freedom of Information. The assessment should robustly justify any additional restrictions on freedom of information introduced by new legislation.
  • Amending the terms of reference for the various parliamentary committees on scrutiny of secondary legislation so that they are able to draw MP's attention to any FOI restrictions Ministers are seeking to introduce.

Note: The S.44 exemption has some value in that it ought allow ministers the ability to be bold in adding new bodies such as coroners to the FOIA without fear that this would result in inappropriate disclosures of information being required.

See Also

Dissolution of Parliament

In the UK Parliament is dissolved prior to a General Election. The public officials working in the Palace of Westminster during the 2010 General Election argued that the House of Commons does not legally exist during dissolution and so there was no legal requirement to respond to requests for information during dissolution. It is unacceptable that a time of heightened public interest in politics that public officials are not answering FOI requests.

By adding the following bodies to the list of public authorities covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (in schedule 1 of the Act) we can avoid a repeat of the problems experienced during the 2010 General Election:

  • Corporate Officer of the House of Commons (established by the Parliamentary Corporate Bodies Act 1992)
  • Corporate Officer of the House of Lords (established by the Parliamentary Corporate Bodies Act 1992)
  • House of Commons Commission (established by the House of Commons (Administration) Act 1978)

Inappropriate Entities Deemed Subject to the Act

Universities

Pre-1992 universities are mostly corporations created by royal charter or by Act of Parliament. Despite this, FOIA applies not to the universities but to their "governing bodies", a term which usually refers to the committee that runs the university. In practice, this doesn't seem to be used by universities to avoid responding to requests, but it quite easily could. Chartered and ancient universities (and their colleges) should be subject to the Act themselves, just as higher education corporations are.

Police Forces

A similar problem exists with police forces it is "A chief officer of police of a police force in England or Wales" who is subject to the act, not the force itsself. Despite this though a request for a document held by a Chief Officer (but not the police force) has been rejected [4].

Houses of Parliament

As the houses of Commons and Lords themselves cease to exist from time to time (during dissolutions), it may make more sense to make an entity with continuity of existence formally subject to the act.

Lobbying transparency

We would support the establishment of a mandatory register of lobbying activity that was independently managed and enforced.

Libel reform

The law should be changed to make it explicitly clear that circulating or publishing the response to an FOI request attracts 'qualified privilege'. The practical implication of this would be that it would be very difficult to take someone to court for circulating/publishing the response to an FOI request where this was not done maliciously.

Reform of copyright law

In general, a work prepared by an officer or employee of the US government as part of that person's official duties is not protected by domestic copyright law. We would like to see the law changed so that UK Government documents are also in the public domain.