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WrittenevidencefromGaneshSittampalam Executivesummary
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. IamanindividualrequesterwithsignificantexperienceofusingtheAct. IbelievethattheActhasbeenverysuccessfulinopeningupaccesstopublicauthorities. InthissubmissionImainlyfocusonaspectsoftheActthatcouldbeimproved. HousesofParliament:itshouldbemadeclearthattheActisintendedtoapplytotheHousesof Parliamentduringtheperiodofageneralelection. BBC:theBBCsderogationfromtheActforjournalisticmaterialshouldbereplacedbya properlydraftedexemption. Promptness:ItshouldbemadeclearthattheexistingrequirementintheActforaprompt responseisimportantandenforceable. Timelimits:Timelimitsshouldbeintroducedforpublicinteresttestsandforinternalreviews. Enforcement:TheCommissionerhasadequateenforcementpowersandshouldbeencouraged tousethemmoreeffectively. Costslimit:thecurrentframeworkforestimatingcostsisworkingadequatelyandtampering withitwouldbringsignificantcomplications.

Aboutthesubmitter
10. IhavemadeFOIrequeststoarangeofpublicauthoritiestoobtainbackgroundmaterialona rangeofaspectsofpublicpolicyandpublicadministrationthatinterestme. 11. IhavemadeanumberofcomplaintstotheCommissionerandalsosuccessfullybroughtasmall numberofcasestotheInformationTribunal,soIhaveagoodunderstandingofallstagesofthe FOIprocessfromtheperspectiveofarequester. 12. IamalsoavolunteeradministratorfortheWhatDoTheyKnow.comwebsiteandhave contributedtoaseparatejointsubmissionmadeonbehalfofthatwebsite.Thissubmissionis madeinmypersonalcapacitybasedonmyownindividualexperiencesofusingtheAct.

ThebenefitsoftheAct
13. IbelievethattheActhasbroughtaboutasubstantialshiftintherelationshipbetween interestedcitizensandpublicauthorities.Itisnolongernecessarytorelyontheinformationan authoritychoosestoputout,oronthepress,togainanunderstandingofthebehaviourofthe publicsector. 14. TheActprovidesaccesstointernalguidancethatcanbeveryhelpfulinexplainingpractical aspectsofdailylife.Inonerecentrequest,IwasabletogetTransportforLondonsdefinitionsof whatismeantbygoodserviceandminordelaysontheTube 1 ,whichprovidesavaluable perspectiveonproblemsIseeinmydailycommute!
1

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/84798/response/248309/attach/3/Declaring%20Service%20Statu s%20Criteria%20v1%206%2011%2011%2011.pdf

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15. Accesstointernalinformationcanoftenshowauthoritiesinagoodlight,correctingmisleading impressionsfrompressstories.ForexampleafteranarticleinthepressthatKentPolicehad confiscatedaboardgameduringaraidonaClimateCamp,aFOIrequestestablishedthatthis hadbeendonebecausethegamewasknowntocontainabalaclavawhichcouldbeusedto concealidentities. 2

ProblemswiththeAct
HousesofParliamentduringdissolution
16. TheHouseofCommonshasasomewhatuniquelegalpositionbecauseofitshistory.Duringa dissolutionforageneralelection,ittechnicallydoesnotexistatall. 17. TheCommonsauthoritieshavechosentousethisasareasontodelayansweringrequests duringaperiodofadissolution 3 ,eventhoughthestaffwhowouldanswertheserequests continuetobeemployedthroughoutthisperiod. 18. ThisisdespitethefactthatinapreviouscasebeforetheInformationTribunal,theCommons authoritiesexplicitlyacknowledgedthattheydidnotthinkthiswastheintentionofParliament: 4 Forexample,theHouseassumesthatParliamentdidnotintendthatthepublicsrightto informationfromtheHouseissuspendedduringperiodswhentheHouseisdissolvedeven though,asmentionedabove,theHouseofCommonsdoesnotexistduringsuchperiods. 19. Theperiodofageneralelectionisoneinwhichthepublichasaparticularinterestintheworkof theCommons,anditisthereforeregrettablethattheauthoritieshavechosentobeobstructive inthisregard. 20. ThepositionoftheHouseofLordsisevenmoreambiguousasLordsdonotlosetheirstatus duringadissolution. 21. IbelieveastraightforwardfixtotheActtoremedythiswouldbetolisttheCorporateOfficerof eachHouseaspublicauthorities.

BBCderogation
22. TheBBChasaderogationwhichmeanstheyareonlysubjecttotheActinrespectof informationheldforpurposesotherthanthoseofjournalism,artorliteraturethespecial purposes. 23. ItisrightthattheBBCbeexemptedfromreleasinginformationthatisdirectlypartofits journalisticandcreativeactivities.Butthelawisbadlydraftedinthisareaandisbeingabusedby theBBCtoobstructscrutinyofitsspending. 24. ForexampletheBBChastriedtousethederogationtorefusemeinformationaboutthemoney spentonmarketing,pressandpublicity.Requestsmadebyothersabouthowmanystaffwere senttotheBeijingOlympicshavealsobeenrefused. 25. Thesekindsofrequestsfocusmuchmoreonthegeneraluseofpublicmoneyratherthanthe detailsoftheBBCscreativeoutput,andIbelievethisshouldbeproperlyopentoscrutiny.
2 3

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/confiscation_of_property http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/new_members_guidebook#incoming86639 4 AppealsEA/2006/0074/0075/0076:http://www.informationtribunal.gov.uk/DBFiles/Decision/i84/HoC2.pdf, para38

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26. ThedraftingofthederogationhasledtotwosuccessiveHouseofLords/SupremeCourtappeals inrespectofasinglerequestmadebythelateStevenSugar,thefirsttoestablishtherightroute ofappealwhentheCommissionerdecidesthatrequestedinformationisnotsubjecttotheAct, andthesecondtoclarifyhowinformationheldbothforthespecialpurposesandforother purposesshouldbetreated. 27. Thecurrentsituation,pendingthefinalSupremeCourtruling,isthatifinformationisheldtoany extentforthespecialpurposes,thenitisnotcovered. 28. Isuggestthatthederogationbereplacedbyanormalexemptionandtheambiguityresolvedto makeitclearthatinformationisonlyexemptifheldjustforthespecialpurposes.Failingthatthe testtheCommissioneroriginallyformulatedofadominantpurposeshouldberestored.

Promptness
29. Section10oftheActstatesthatauthoritiesmustrespondtorequestspromptlyandinany eventnotlaterthanthetwentiethworkingdayfollowingthedateofreceipt. 30. DuringParliamentarydebatesbeforetheActwaspassed,itwasexplicitthatthiswasintended tobeanenforceableright 5 : theCommissionermayserveadecisionnoticeoranenforcementnoticeonanauthority whichfailedtodealwitharequestforinformationpromptly,eventhoughitdealtwithit within40days [the40dayswassubsequentlyreducedto20] 31. IthasunfortunatelyprovedalmostimpossibletorelyonthispartoftheAct. 32. InonerequesttotheDepartmentofCulture,MediaandSportwhenIcomplainedabout promptness,theyrespondedthat 6 UndertheFreedomofInformationActwearerequiredtorespondwithin20workingdays, whichyouacceptwedid.PreviouscaseswhichhavebeentotheInformationCommissioner withasimilarargumenttotheoneyououtlinehavebeenrejectedasitisunderstoodthat wedohave20workingdaystorespond 33. ThisattitudedoesindeedextendtotheCommissioner.Inresponsetoacomplaintaboutthe CabinetOfficespromptness,theICOscaseofficerclaimed TheActprovidesanexplicittimetableinwhichpublicauthoritiesmustrespondtoa request.Iunderstandyourfrustrationinnotreceivinganearlierresponsewithoutdelay, however,theresponsewasprovidedinaccordancewiththetimetableprovidedbytheAct. 34. IbelievethatthisisaclearexamplewheretheActisnotoperatingasintended.Failureto enforcethisrequirementmeansthatmanyauthoritiesroutinelywaitthefull20workingdaysto respondeventotrivialrequests. 35. Thisisparticularlydamagingincaseswheretheauthoritysresponseistosimplyreferthe requestertoanotherauthority,aswasthecasewithmyrequesttotheCabinetOffice.Inthis
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmpubadm/570/57015.htm http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/public_cost_of_royal_family_and#incoming69707

5 6

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instancetheyreferredmetotheTreasurywhoalsodidnotholdtheinformationandafteryet moredayswaiting,sentmeontoHMRCwhoactuallydidholdit. 36. Thefailuretobepromptactuallyhasaknockoneffectonauthoritiesaswellasrequesters: becauseresponseswillprobablybeslow,thereisanincentivetoframebroaderrequeststhan strictlynecessaryratherthanmakingasmallinitialrequestandfollowingupasnecessary. 37. Similarlyifmultiplepublicbodiesmightholdinformation,itcurrentlyseemsbettertoaskallof themforitinthefirstinstance,ratherthantotrythemostlikelyfirst. 38. AstherequirementforpromptnessisalreadyenshrinedintheAct,andthemainproblemisthat itisnotbeingtakenseriouslybyeitherauthoritiesortheCommissioner,Ibelievethesituation couldbeimprovedbyaclearstatementfromlegislatorsthattheybelievethattherequirement forpromptnessisimportantandshouldbeenforced.

Timelimits
39. ThelackoftimelimitsintheActforpublicinteresttestsandforinternalreviewsisafrequent pointoffrictionwithauthorities. 40. Thereislittleornoevidencethatauthoritiesgenuinelyneedthisflexibility. 41. ThepositioninScotland,withnoextensionforthepublicinteresttestanda40workingdaylimit forinternalreviews,providesanalternativemodelfortheUKtofollow.

Poorlyorganisedauthorities
42. SomeauthoritiesseemtoconsistentlyhavedifficultymeetingtheirobligationsundertheAct.In mypersonalexperiencetheseincludetheCabinetOfficeandtheHomeOffice. 43. MetarequestsrequestsforinformationabouthowapreviousFOIrequestwashandled suggestthatforthemostpartlongdelayedrequestsreceivelittleattentionforweeksata time. 7,8 44. Oftentheseauthoritiesseemtospendsubstantiallymoretimeonlookingforreasonstorefuse ordelayarequestthanonactuallyprovidingananswer. 45. Forexample,inrulingagainstanattemptbytheHomeOfficetodeclarearequestfromme vexatious,theCommissionerobserved 9 : WhiletheHomeOfficehasmadeconsiderablerepresentationsabouttheadditionalworkit hasundertakenfollowingthecomplainantsrequests,mostofthisworkwasincurredasa resultofthewaytheHomeOfficehandledtherequests. 46. Difficultiesansweringrequestssometimesalsoappeartooriginatefromextraordinarilypoor recordsmanagement.TheHomeOfficeisapparentlyunabletoprovidecopiesof16contracts theysignedwiththeACPOin2009/10withinthecostslimit 10 :

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/32334/response/90755/attach/3/FOI%2014618%2010%2006%20 10.pdf 8 http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/48265/response/207601/attach/3/20110822%20Sittampalam%2 0Digest%20Release.docx 9 http://www.ico.gov.uk/~/media/documents/decisionnotices/2011/fs_50380320.ashx,paragraph25

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Locatingandcollatingthisinformationwouldinvolveretrievingdocumentationfrom variousotherunitsintheHomeOfficeCrimeandPolicingGroup(CPG),duetothefactthat thetotalfundingamountisnotcentrallyheld.CPGconsistsofover23unitsamountingto over100individuals.Thisworkwouldmeancollatinginformationthroughsearching differentinformationsources(namely23sharedelectronicdrives,personaldrivesand separatepaperrecords)heldbyeachunit. 47. GiventhatthesearelegaldocumentsandalsothattheGovernmentstatedin2010thatall contractswithvaluesofmorethan25,000shouldberoutinelypublished,Ifinditveryhardto understandwhythesearenotkeptinacentrallocation.

TheInformationCommissioner
48. SubstantialdelaysininvestigatingcomplaintsbytheInformationCommissionerhavebeenwell documentedinthepast. 49. Thesedelayshavenowbeenreducedbutarestillsignificant:itstilltypicallytakes612months togetadecisionaboutanysubstantivecomplaint. 50. ThisagaincontrastswiththepositioninScotlandwherethelegislationsetsatargetof4months fortheScottishCommissioner. 11 51. Oneconsequenceisthatanyauthoritythatwantstodelaythereleaseoftimesensitive informationcaneasilydoso. 52. TheCommissioneralreadyhassubstantialpowerstotakeactionagainstpersistentlypoorly performingauthorities. 53. Hiscurrentapproachonlyfocusesontheabsoluteworstperformersandisratherprotracted; authoritieswhicharealreadydemonstrablyfailingarefirstmonitoredformanymoremonths, thenifstillfailingarepersuadedtosignundertakingsandmonitoredforafurthersubstantial period.NonewauthoritieshavebeenplacedundermonitoringsinceApril2011. 54. IbelievetheCommissionershouldusehispowersmuchmoreaggressively,andissue enforcementnoticeswheneverapatternofpoorperformanceemerges.

Thecostslimit
55. TheMoJsmemorandumhighlightsthatanumberofpublicauthoritieswouldliketoseechanges totheoperationofthecostslimit,inparticulartoincluderedaction,consultationandreading time. 56. Currently,themeasureoftimeforthecostslimitisfairlyobjectiveinthatitonlycomprisesthe timerequiredforwelldefinedandlimitedactivitieslocating,retrievingandextracting information.EvensothereareoftendisputesbeforetheCommissioneraboutthe reasonablenessofsuchestimates. 57. Addingmoreactivitiesparticularlyconsultationandreadingwouldintroduceamuchmore subjectiveelementwhichwouldlikelyleadtoasignificantincreaseinsuchdisputes. 58. Includingredactiontimewouldcreateanincentiveforauthoritiestomaintaininformationin formswherereleasableinformationisintermingledwithexemptinformation.
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/53125/response/228394/attach/3/16988%20Sittampalam%20res ponse.pdf,paragraph18 11 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2002/13/section/49
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59. Measuringtherequiredredactiontimeisalsoproblematicbecauseitpresupposesthatan exemptionreallydoesapplybutthatmaybeamatterofdispute. 60. Inthecurrentregime,thefirststepinhandlingarequestistotestthecostslimit,andonlyifthe informationcanbeextracted,toconsiderothermoresubstantiveexemptions. 61. Thissimpletwostageprocesswouldbeenormouslycomplicatediftheapplicationofsubstantive exemptionshadtobeconsideredintandemwiththeapplicationofthecostslimit. 62. Forexample,IhaveobtainedthereleaseoftheBBCscontractwithCapitatooperateTV licensing. 12 ThiscontractrunstoseveralhundredpagesandtheBBCinitiallysoughttowithhold significantpartsofit,withmanysmallredactions.EventuallytheInformationCommissioner orderedreleaseofthewholedocumentwithoutanyredactionsatall. 63. Ibelievethatchangestothecalculationofthecostlimitwouldmakeobtainingdocumentsof thisnatureharderorimpossible.Particularlygiventhecurrenttrendstowardsoutsourcing, accesstosuchcontractsisinmyviewvitaltounderstandinghowpublicservicesarerun. February2012

12

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/tv_licensing_contracts_with_capi#incoming171072