Tories launch review of Freedom of Information legislation

The UK Government has launched a Commission to review the future of Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation.

The Commission will be chaired by Lord Burns, and will include Jack Straw MP, Lord Howard, Lord Carlile and Dame Patricia Hodgson. The Government also announced that responsibility for FOI legislation will pass from the Ministry of Justice to the Cabinet Office, with immediate effect.

Announcing the decision minister for the Cabinet Office Matthew Hancock said: “We are committed to being the most transparent government in the world.”

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He added: “We fully support the Freedom of Information Act but after more than a decade in operation it is time that the process is reviewed, to make sure it’s working effectively.”

Hancock said the aim was ensure “private space is protected for frank advice”.

The Act covers any recorded information held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities – such as the Department of Work and Pensions – that are based in Scotland.

Information held by Scottish public authorities is covered by the FOI (Scotland) Act 2002.

The Commission’s remit is to “consider whether there is an appropriate public interest balance between transparency, accountability and the need for sensitive information to have robust protection, and whether the operation of the Act adequately recognises the need for a ‘safe space’ for policy development and implementation and frank advice.

“The Commission may also consider the balance between the need to maintain public access to information, and the burden of the Act on public authorities, and whether change is needed to moderate that while maintaining public access to information.”

The Commission will publish its findings by the end of November.