Challenge Freedom of Information changes
I posted recently on government proposals to aggregate FoI requests and the cost implications they entailed. Worryingly true to form - for example the lack of a Green Paper on Trident replacement - the government is making these changes without a formal consultation. The Campaign for Freedom of Information have challenged the basis for the Government's proposals and are asking people to make informal responses as the Government has said these would be considered. The text of the CFoI email asking people to respond informally is below. There's also an article by CFoI director Maurice Frankel summarising the dangers of the government proposals.
Dear Friend,
As you will be aware the Government recently announced proposals to amend the fees regulations under the Freedom of Information Act. The effect of the proposals would be to severely restrict use of the Act and reduce the amount of information available under it.
It now appears that there isn't going to be any formal consultation on the proposals, though the Government has said it will consider any responses that are received. Therefore if anyone wishes to comment on the proposals, it's important to do so now. Responses should be sent to Lord Falconer at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, Selborne House, 54 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QW.
Briefly, the Government is proposing to introduce the following two changes:
(a) to allow the time spent considering FOI requests to count towards calculating the cost limit. This would mean the limit would be reached much more quickly and more requests would be refused on cost grounds.
(b) to allow authorities to aggregate FOI requests from the same person or organisation and refuse them all if the total exceeds the cost limit. In particular, this would limit the press and campaigning organisations to possibly no more than a single request to a particular authority within a three month period. All subsequent requests could automatically be refused on cost grounds.
The proposals are contained in the Government's response to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee - published on 16 October 2006. The Select Committee itself said "We see no need to change the fees regulations." The Committee's report 'Freedom of Information - one year on' is available here.
The views of the Campaign are on our website. See in particular our press release of 16th October 2006 and Maurice Frankel's article for The Telegraph online.
We'd be interested to see copies of any responses you make.
Best wishes,
Katherine Gundersen
Research Officer
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Campaign for Freedom of Information
Suite 102
16 Baldwins Gardens
London
EC1N 7RJ
Website: http://www.cfoi.org.uk
Email: admin@cfoi.demon.co.uk