FOI round-up
The Campaign for Freedom of Information is that we should believe the briefing about Gordon Brown's intention to drop the government's planned restrictions on FOI, whatever the views of the ministers currently involved ... There's a significant Parliamentary against the eager reporting in the Mail on Sunday and elsewhere of David Maclean's now quad bike ... The presentations from yesterday's FOI Live conference are available . The Information Commissioner Richard Thomas indicated that he would help public bodies dismiss 'vexatious' requests and that he will also be promoting a charter for 'responsible' use of FOI by those seeking information.
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The more I read about the FOI Amendment on your blogs, and the various comments the more dismayed I become.
I phoned my MP's office on the Thursday before the vote. My (Lab.) MP was not going to be present for the vote, I was told. That shouldn't surprise me as he's hardly ever there. His P.A. informed me that my MP had previous engagements but I was to know that he was worried about private correspondence being published. I took that to mean that he supported the Amendment. I see from one comment on one blog that there is only a very remote chance of such a thing happening to any MP.
I shall be following the LibDem campaign suggestion of lobbying a Lord re the FOI Amendment. I have chosen a particular Lord because of a previous question he asked about costs of Government agencies. From that, and the reply to it, I have realised much. No wonder the politicians are anxious keep costs secret.
What with legislation in recent years, CCTV cameras all over, ID data already being stored, I think we have been well and truly stitched up. Anonymous protests about anything are already a thing of the past.
This vote for an Amendment shows that when the FOI Act was passed the Ministers and MPs hadn't then thought through how it would come to affect them!
I would be interested to see the replies to the requests for info. re public areas of Portcullis House, etc.
Is it my imagination or is the media dealing with FOI in a very low-key manner ?
I have actively been seeking information during the life of this bill and, with a single exception, national newspapers seem to be tucking brief references almost out of sight; those political tv programs where I would expect it to be addressed with some fervour have skirted quickly over it - why so Andrew? :)
will someone please confirm they have also noticed this, or recommend me a funny farm?