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Select Committee · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

The Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Clearing House

Status: Closed Opened: 29 Jun 2021 Closed: 20 Oct 2022 7 recommendations 7 conclusions 1 report

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee is holding an inquiry into the Cabinet Office’s implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Ninth Report - The Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Cl… HC 505 29 Apr 2022 14 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
5 Recommendation Ninth Report - The Cabinet Office Freed… Not Addressed

The Cabinet Office should accept the Information Commissioner’s offer to undertake its proposed audit to...

The Cabinet Office should accept the Information Commissioner’s offer to undertake its proposed audit to reassure the public that the Government’s approach to Freedom of The Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Clearing House 25 Information requests is compliant with the Freedom of Information Act and that they are handled with … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states its full commitment to transparency but does not address the Information Commissioner's offer to undertake an audit. The response then discusses FOI request statistics, online transparency, and ARIA's exemption from the FOI Act.
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6 Recommendation Ninth Report - The Cabinet Office Freed… Not Addressed

The Cabinet Office should produce and publish an action plan in response to the findings...

The Cabinet Office should produce and publish an action plan in response to the findings of the Information Commissioner’s Office’s audit, and provide it to this Committee no later than the end of this year. (Paragraph 31) The Cabinet Office’s compliance with and implementation of the Freedom of Information Act … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it is fully committed to transparency and routinely discloses information well beyond its FOI obligations, and releases more proactive publications than ever before. They state they have no plans to revisit the ARIA decision.
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Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
25 Nov 2021 Andrew White · Information Commissioner's Office, Elizabeth Denham CBE · Information Commissioner's Office View ↗
26 Oct 2021 Dr Ben Worthy · Birkbeck, University of London, Dr Mária Žuffová · European University Institute, Gavin Freeguard · Connected by Data, Jenna Corderoy · Open Democracy, Martin Rosenbaum, Mr George Greenwood · The Times and Sunday Times View ↗

Who gave evidence

8 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Andrew White · Head of FOI Complaints and Appeals Information Commissioner's Office 1
Dr Ben Worthy · Senior Lecturer, Department of Politics Birkbeck, University of London 1
Dr Mária Žuffová · Postdoctoral Researcher European University Institute 1
Elizabeth Denham CBE · Information Commissioner Information Commissioner's Office 1
Gavin Freeguard · Policy associate Connected by Data 1
Jenna Corderoy · FOI specialist journalist Open Democracy 1
Martin Rosenbaum — 1
Mr George Greenwood · data journalist The Times and Sunday Times 1

Correspondence

9 letters
DateDirectionTitle
28 Jun 2022 To cttee Letter from John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, Information Commissioner…
28 Jun 2022 To cttee Letter from Lord True CBE, Minister of State, Cabinet Office on the Cabinet Off…
8 Jun 2022 From cttee Letter to Jonathan Edwards, Information Commissioner on the Cabinet Office Free…
8 Jun 2022 From cttee Letter to Sue Langley OBE, Lead Non-Executive Director, Home Office on the Cabi…
17 May 2022 To cttee Letter from Lord True, Minister of State, Cabinet Office on the PACAC inquiry i…
8 Feb 2022 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP, Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster on C…
14 Dec 2021 — Correspondence from James Dipple-Johnstone on The Cabinet Office Freedom of Inf…
7 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for the Constitution and Devoluti…
29 Jun 2021 From cttee Letter to Navendu Mishra MP on Cabinet Office Clearing House Judgement, dated 2…