Richard Thomas said he was impressed by a spirit of greater
openness in the culture of government at all levels. "Secrecy
without good reason is no longer an option," he said. "The Freedom
of Information Act is clearly making an impact and I am encouraged
that it is being taken very seriously by most public
authorities."
The Information Commissioner's Office is the UK’s independent
public body for promoting access to official information and
protecting personal information. It also handles complaints. It has
received 1,157 FOI complaints since the Act came into force. Of
these, 224 cases have been closed, mainly informally, but 19 formal
Decision Notices have been issued.
Mr Thomas's Office published today's list of tips having
recognised that many of the complaints received to date involve
procedural issues. This, it says, suggests that some public
authorities are still not sufficiently clear about their
obligations under the Act.
The tips encourage authorities to disclose information wherever
possible and use publication schemes proactively. They remind
public bodies that they must meet the 20 day deadline and to be
extremely clear when issuing refusal notices. Above all, the Act
should be seen positively: members of the public have a right to
know what is done in their name and how their money is spent.
Greater transparency is good for the public and for democracy.
Richard Thomas added: “Many significant disclosures, on a very
wide range of issues, have been achieved and the majority of
refusals appear to be unchallenged. As we tackle the complaints
referred to us, our approach is to be independent, robust,
responsible, and – where appropriate – to balance competing public
interest considerations.”
10 Top Tips from the Information Commissioner's Office
- Be positive. Greater transparency is good for
the public and democracy.
- Be active. Use Publication Schemes
pro-actively. Pro-active publication saves time, effort, resources
and money.
- Anticipate requests – don’t wait to be
asked.
- Why not? The Act presumes disclosure. Public
authorities should meet people’s requests unless there is a good
reason within the Act not to. Organisations do not have to withhold
information if an exemption applies
- Get talking. A dialogue between the requester
and the public authority can help you resolve requests more
quickly.
- Don't fear precedent. All decisions should be
made on their own merits and on a case by case basis at the time of
the request.
- Give clear reasons. If you are turning down a
request, write a clear Refusal Notice. Properly drafted and fully
explained refusals can help avoid reviews and complaints.
- Give more if it helps. Supply additional
information where it is useful, such as an explanation of the data
you are supplying.
- Meet it or beat it. You must meet the 20 day
deadline – beat it if possible.
- Help yourself. Look at the ICO’s guidance on
http://www.ico.gov.uk/ for
more information on freedom of information, as well as information
on data protection, or you can ring the ICO's Helpline on 01625
545745.
