FOI extension to private sector
It's just been revealed that the government will be extending freedom of information to cover some private sector organisations.
Those private bodies affected will be some of those who carry out functions on behalf of public authorities.
This was disclosed this afternoon by the Justice Minister Michael Wills at a conference organised by the Information Commissioner's Office (the same one where Jack Straw spoke earlier).
This follows the government's consultative exercise on this proposal. Mr Wills told the conference that ministers will announce their response to this consultation very soon, and when pressed added "there is going to be an extension of FOI".
He did not indicate who would be covered by such an extension. The most likely candidates include academy schools and the Association of Chief Police Officers, but we will have to wait and see how far - and how quickly - the government wants to go in extending freedom of information to parts of the private sector.
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ACPO definitely needs to be brought under FoI legislation.
I'm really uncomfortable with the idea of an organisation with such influence on policing and government policy not being properly accountable to the public.
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I wonder- are there those on this site who would favor an increase in the FOIA authority over the BBC?
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Good. Any use of public funds should come with the requirement to disclose reasonably requested information.
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FOI already applies to a number of private organisations. GP surgeries, pharmacies and opticians with NHS contracts spring to mind.
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Orvillethird: I'm in favour of the BBC's exemption for information that is genuinely and directly held for their programme output but the derogation was badly drafted and they have massively abused it. It should be turned into a "normal" refusal, subject to internal review, and the circumstances in which it can be claimed cut back substantially. For example information about their own spending should never be exempted.
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I hear that FOI Expert, Matthew Davis (www.foinews.co.uk) is leading the battle to get the BBC included in the FOIA. Well done to him & Heather Brooke who did the same re MPs expenses. The latest news on MPs expenses shows exactly why the public have a right to know about how our money is being spent. I wonder if the BBC are also ordering in more shredders as we speak?
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