Post legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information Act 2000

House of Commons Justice Committee Post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 2012.  

Its very revealing that the evidence includes a statement that it is now Government policy to destroy emails after 3 months unless selected for preservation.


This blog makes extensive use of information released by Authorities under the Freedom of Information Act, and the Environmental Information  Regulations.


The video provides a good insight into how Authorities deal with FOI requests  and how the move from the traditional system of files and the demise departmental registries to the modern system of electronic documents records management  has resulted in less effective record keeping.


Witnesses

1. Campaign for FOI, Unlock Democracy, and WhatDoTheyKnow
2. Professor Robert Hazell CBE, Director, Jim Amos, Honorary Senior Research Associate, and Ben Worthy, Research Associate, UCL Constitution Unit

The final report published July 2012


Committee FOI report page on the web

Defence Nuclear Environment Safety Board Annual Report 2010-11

In response to a FOI request the MOD published the Annual DNESB report for 2010-11.  The report yet again highlights the lack of adequate staff and resources to safely deliver the MODs nuclear capability.


The 2010 DNESB and earlier reports clearly demonstrate how the MOD has failed to allocated sufficient resources to nuclear safety in particular the lack of progress on recruiting and retaining suitably experienced and qualified staff.

The 2010 DNESB  report clearly  shows that MOD Ministers continue to ignore MODs internal nuclear Regulator and demonstrates the need for full civil regulation by the Office for Nuclear Regulation

Posts on this blog about  previous DNESB reports have highlighted lack of staff and resources as a significant risk to the safety of MOD's nuclear programmes.


Link to DNESB reports


Link to press report in the Guardian 


Link to a report by Rob Edwards