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July 2006
On 25th July, in reply to a written question from
Oliver Heald (Conservative, North East Hertfordshire) Harriet Harmen said that different levels of compliance with the 20 day deadline for instituted by the Freedom of Information Act were due to
the number of information requests that Departments receive particularly where they relate to complex policy issues. Departments are allowed to extend the deadline to consider the public interest and it is appropriate that they take the time necessary to reach the correct decision. That is to protect information that is legitimately exempt and to ensure the release of information where the balance of the public interest lies in its disclosure.
In a written question on 11th July David Gauke (Conservative, South West Herefordshire) asked how many complaints had been referred to the Information Commissioner. In response, Vera Baird, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, said
The Information Commissioner is an independent body created by statute. On 1 June 2006, the Information Commissioner had received 3,521 complaints since the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act. This includes complaints made under the Environment Information Regulations.
June 2006
On 22nd June, in a written reply to Lord Hanningfield Baronness Scotland of Asthal said
It is not the Government's policy to cite Freedom of Information Act exemptions in response to Parliamentary Questions.
March 2006
In reply to a written question from Oliver Heald (Conservative, North East Herefordshire) Bridget Prentice, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Constitutional Affairs said
The decision as to whether to inform ministers about a FOI request is made on a case by case basis in each Department. Ministers are not informed of every individual FOI request. Where section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies, all requests are submitted to Ministers because this exemption can only be used if, in the Minister's reasonable opinion, disclosure would 'prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs'.
February 2006
On 27th February Harriet Harmen replied to a written question from Norman Baker who had asked how many appeals had been received by the Information Commissioner since the coming into force of the Freedom of Information Act, and in what ways these had been decided. The detailed response from the Minister of State can be seen here
In a written answer to David Drew (Labour, Stroud) on 13th February Harriet Harmen said
In the third quarter of 2005 Departments of State responded to Freedom of Information requests within their statutory obligations in an average of 86 per cent. of cases...DCA continues to work with departments to improve performance. In particular each Department of State has a dedicated liaison point within DCA to address specific performance issues. The Information Rights Practitioners Conference also provides a regular forum in which officials across Whitehall can share best practice and raise any specific issues with experts both from my Department and elsewhere in Government.
On the same day, in response to a written question from Lynne Featherstone (Liberal Democrat, Hornsey and Wood Green) the minister said
The Department for Constitutional Affairs does not directly monitor Freedom of Information Act compliance in local government in order to avoid imposing an administrative burden. However, independent surveys and reports in the regional press indicate that FOI is working well in local government, and a great deal of new information is being released to local communities. Compliance with the Act is regulated by the independent Information Commissioner, who has statutory powers of investigation.
