Commissioner backs freedom of information

The FoI Act was implemented in 2005

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Thursday, 24, May 2007 07:26

Local authorities must not let frivolous requests for information deter them from making information available under the Freedom of Information Act, the information commissioner has said.

Speaking at a conference on freedom of information in London today, Richard Thomas said the public respected "honesty, not cover up" and that legislation passed in 2000 has a beneficial effect on society.

He pledged to draw up a charter for responsible use of the act which would provide guidance for local authorities on when blocking requests was appropriate. Recent requests have included a request to Hampshire police for a list of eligible bachelors and a query to the Foreign Office about the number of Ferrero Roche chocolates served by ambassadors.

Mr Thomas said: "I am sympathetic towards public authorities that refuse to deal with vexatious requests which clearly serve no reasonable purpose. Such requests do a disservice to all who want freedom of information to be a success.

"But I am surprised that public authorities are not making more robust use of the existing provisions under the Act for excluding vexatious requests."

He did not directly refer to the controversial private member's bill currently going through parliament which exempts MPs from requests, but warned that the act should not become a "battlefield".

"Of course there are bound to be times when the Freedom of Information Act may be uncomfortable. But openness – even where it reveals uncertainties, disagreements or embarrassments – treats citizens as grown-ups and reflects the realities of public life," he added.

The BBC reported this afternoon that trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling holds concerns about the act's implications for the policy development process, reigniting the ongoing debate about its effect on government decision-making and its overall worth to society.