Culture of Secrecy is WeakeningAn article by outgoing Information Commissioner Richard Thomas published in the Mail on Sunday summarises how far Freedom of Information has travelled in the last four and a half years, and some of the dangers on the horizon.
Policy in the Age of FOIIf you want to know more about why ministers are planning to exclude cabinet papers from the reach of freedom of information, then look at this new report about government policy-making in the context of FOI.
Disclosing Court Records Under FOIAThe Tribunal has recently handed down a decision in which it reached a number of important conclusions on the application of s. 32 FOIA (the courts records exemption) – Dominic Kennedy v IC & Charity Commissioners (EA/2008/0083).
Commissioner Calls for Instinctive Culture of OpennessOn Thursday in his last speech as Information Commissioner [UK], Richard Thomas will urge Whitehall and the public sector to learn the lessons from the MPs’ expenses scandal by routinely publishing more official information without waiting to be asked.
Government Plans FOI RestrictionsThe government is planning to introduce important new restrictions on access to cabinet and royal papers under freedom of information.
ICO Calls for More Precisely Defined Refusal NoticesA new report, commissioned by the Information Commissioner’s Office [UK], records the observations of some former Ministers, as well as current and former senior civil servants and government advisers about the policy making process and the impact of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).
New Issue of Ariadne Web MagazineNew Issue of Ariadne Web Magazine.
Privacy Impact Assessment Handbook Version 2.0Newly published by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
British Standard on Data Protection is PublishedThe first British Standard on the management of personal data has been published. The Standard has been developed to establish best practice and aid compliance with data protection law.
MMR - The Public Relations StrategyThe proposals, reported today, to make MMR jabs compulsory show how worried some public health professionals are about the number of young children who are not being given the injections.
Information Provided in Confidence Cambridge UniversityInformation Commissioner makes decision on Cambridge University FOI case.
2009 Directive on Legal Protection of Computer Programs in ForceA new version of the European Union’s directive protecting software became law this week. The new version is an administrative exercise and no changes to the law have been made.
Paying Tax for FOIThe Information Commissioner’s Office has acquired an unusual status. It appears to be the only public sector organisation which the TaxPayers’ Alliance thinks should have more money.
Copyright - Do You Know What's Right?Blog article - implications for copyright within advcanced technologies.
Europe Defends Data Protection LawEuropean officials yesterday took a stand against international pressure to compromise their data protection principles for the sake of global business and government.