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
11 Recommendation Ninth Report - The Cabinet Office Freed… Rejected

The Cabinet Office should also issue clearer cross-government guidance on the need to maintain public...

The Cabinet Office should also issue clearer cross-government guidance on the need to maintain public record to take into account the rise of private messaging systems. Finally, the Government needs to revisit its decision to exempt the Advanced Research and Invention Agency from the Freedom of Information Act, to ensure … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government committed to transparency and revising guidance on maintaining public records, but rejected revisiting the decision to exempt the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) from the Freedom of Information Act, as it was extensively debated and agreed to by both Houses of Parliament.
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14 Recommendation Ninth Report - The Cabinet Office Freed… Rejected

To ensure clearer lines of accountability and to aid the Freedom of Information responsibilities of...

To ensure clearer lines of accountability and to aid the Freedom of Information responsibilities of the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Government should consider how to better align departmental policy responsibility and financial responsibility for the Information Commissioner’s Office’s Freedom of Information work. The Government can achieve this by either moving … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government believes the current governance structure helps to avoid any perception that there is a potential conflict of interest with FOI policy and declines to change departmental policy or financial responsibility.
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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…