A reminder list
Sometimes one gets reminded of the apparently petty culture of secrecy that affected some government activities prior to the introduction of freedom of information.
Recently I was looking through some old papers and found this. It's a copy of a message sent in 2004 by the Foreign Office to Entry Clearance Officers in UK posts abroad who consider applications to enter the UK. It was included in a batch of documents released to the 91Èȱ¬ following a freedom of information request.
What it shows is that the government then maintained a 'List of Educational Establishments' in the UK that it referred to when deciding whether to allow entry to those seeking permission to come into the UK as a student. Officials wanted to ensure they were not deceived by claims of intended study at non-existent institutions.
However not only were the contents of this list of colleges and other places of education kept confidential - even the fact that it existed at all was a secret not to be revealed.
As another similar Foreign Office memo from 2004 obtained by the 91Èȱ¬ states, "Entry Clearance Officers are further reminded that the existence of the list should not be disclosed and that no reference to the lists should be made in any refusal wordings".
The current comparable list is now publicly available on the Department for Education and Skills .
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An evil act on a tragic day
9/11 brought us sheer dismay.
What can I do to show I lead
the first-ever thought in Bush's heed
I'll start a war that's easy won
and show the world that I'm top gun.
To stop the awful 'bully' slight
I need a mate to share the fight.
Yo Blair, come over here old mate
I've got a plan to make us great.
We'll kick some ass, we'll be the team,
We'll both fulfil our legacy dream.
Sure George, you speak and I'll obey,
I'll do whatever, sit, beg or stay.
I may just have to stretch the truth
if we're to carry out this spoof,
but never fear, 'cos in debate
I can fool the electorate.
Hey Brown, raise me lots and lots of cash,
help George and I go on the trash.
I'll raise the cash but that is all,
if this goes wrong you'll take a fall;
and whenever there's a chance of smear
I know my place, I disappear.
This war is wrong the lib dems shout
but red plus blue means its a rout,
tories vote with the labour crew
and the country's off to war anew.
What a sorry, sorry day
how many lives will have to pay.
The AG said the war was right; wrong; right.
no suggestion there of unclear sight.
No WMDs were ever seen
45 minutes has never been.
And still the politicians claim
this war is right. good game. no shame.
Not a single politician's son
is in Iraq or carries a gun.
Do as I say, not as I do
is what our MPs say to you.
Even facts of death are told
only when a coroner is bold.
Now we come to Knights and Lords
when most MPs are lost for words.
To boost our funds, we need a donor;
can there be truth in cash for honour?
Silence booms from Left and Right
but silence sometimes shines a light...
And so its on to FOI
to secrets kept from you and I.
A nod from George, a wink from Cam;
to carry through this sorry sham.
Lib dems again have lost the hand
against the shameful red-blue band.
This bill was brought by (con.) Maclean
to shelter MPs from disdain;
Expenses of over a hundred grand
of your money in his hand,
expenses spent on what? he says
none of your damned business.
I'm not Lib dem, nor red, nor blue,
I'm disillusioned, just like you.
I can't impeach or charge or sue
but I can vote and so can you.
Just add your name where mine is set
and we can stop this FOI bill yet.
www.ourcampaign.org.uk/foi