Select committee: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Conclusion 9
Ninth Report - The Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Clearing House
Published 29 Apr 2022
Paragraph 57
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee The Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Clearing House All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
A strong functioning Freedom of Information system requires proactive leadership with a strongly supportive culture and an enthusiastic tone at the top of Government. We therefore welcome the strong tone adopted by the Government in response to critical press coverage of the Clearing House. However, we note a lack of consistency in the Government’s overall approach to Freedom of Information—for example the new proposed statutory arrangements for the Advanced Research and Invention Agency. This example evidences a slide away from transparency being viewed as helpful towards a view that it is a hindrance of Government being able to get on with work. This is a concerning trend and a wrong characterisation that should be challenged at the very top of Government. The Government lacks an approach that advocates for the Freedom of Information Act, and ensures that Government business is carried out in a way that helps to preserve the public record. A more proactive approach could see Ministers championing the Act though speeches, articles and other initiatives that underline the importance of the Act.
From: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Ninth Report - The Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Clearing House (HC 505), paragraph 57, 29 April 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 7 July 2022.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government largely does not adopt the Committee's recommendations, and in place of an external ICO audit it is relying on an internal review led by Sue Langley OBE.
- On transparency, the government "notes" the Committee's concerns but its "present view" is that quarterly statistics on referrals would be "a disproportionate use of resources for a de minimis function".
- On the ICO audit, it considers an internal review "a proportionate response"; the Langley review will look at whether further information should be published, and the government will "update Parliament and the Committee in due course".
- On practice, it states that all FOI requests are handled "on an applicant blind basis" and that it is "legitimate" for Special Advisers to assist on requests. It says it would be "wrong" for the Cabinet Office to intervene in another department's procedures.
- On the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, it says the exemption was agreed by both Houses and it "has no plans to revisit this decision". Work to revise guidance on non-corporate communication channels "has now resumed".