Something in the air
Rumours are going round about how the government may or may not seek to change the on fees for freedom of information requests.
One idea for example which has been discussed is to reduce the thresholds above which public authorities are able to reject requests as involving too much work. Supporters of this argue it would reduce the administrative burden of FOI, although how much difference it would really make is open to question.
Changes to the regulations have been discussed in cabinet sub-committee. Some ministers have been making clear their irritation at various FOI-based stories that have appeared in the media, and want to discourage FOI requests.
Others see this as a political trap for the government. One former government adviser, very close to FOI policy, once told me that on FOI the government has ended up with the worst of both worlds. It has had to put up with embarrassing revelations which FOI inevitably leads to, but because it weakened its initial plans it hasn't been able to claim the real credit it deserves for at least being open. On this analysis any changes that inhibit FOI requests will probably make matters worse for them.
Of course it would be interesting to read the official account of debate taking place in cabinet committee. But when the 91Èȱ¬ asked last year for copies of the minutes of the cabinet committee dealing with FOI, now called , we were told that they could not be released because it would inhibit the 'free and frank exchange of views'.
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"inhibit the "free and frank exchange of views" ... well since FOI has come in, we have continued to see a lot of such "frank" views being expressed.
But at the end of the day, what the Government, or organisations conected with public services or the like, wish covered up ... is still difficult to reveal even with the existence of FOI.
That`s why some conscientious people exist who leak matters from time to time.
What is not becoming interesting is if the leaks match what comes out in terms of FOI responses ... and that`s what the Government really fear I think.
The comparison between leaks and FOI disclosures is a very interesting point, and one I hope to comment on in detail later.