Discussion Thread: Expand the Scope of the Freedom of Information Act

This is an archived discussion thread for the "Expand the Scope of the Freedom of Information Act" voting page. Voting, and this discussion thread, have now closed.  

johncombe 1 month ago

3 people liked this.
at the moment there is far too much secrecy surrounding foreign policy, and defence. The government hides all kinds of deviousness behind national security. Letters written to heads of states should be open to the public. Tony Blair committed this country to war without consulting the British people. The thirty year law should be scrapped and cut down to about five.

b_williams 3 weeks ago

3 people liked this.
Accessible and open government is vital for the nation. It is not acceptable that our politicains should be able to cover up their misdeeds by a blanket of secrecy. Which people are the most secretive of all? Only those with something to hide.

eddwilson 3 weeks ago

1 person liked this.
"This proposal seeks to extend the Freedom of Information Act to cover more information" and there would be "fewer reasons for information being exempted". That's rather wishy-washy. What new information? What restrictions on exemptions? I can't vote for this, because a pious hope is not good enough.

"Freedom of Information could be extended to private companies employed on public sector contracts." This gets a bit more concrete, though the "could" weakens it fatally.

This is not a policy proposal, just a sentiment (with which I agree).

Tone Franklin 2 weeks ago in reply to eddwilson
How do you know what information can be asked for if you don't know what's available?

eddwilson 2 weeks ago in reply to Tone Franklin
In one sense you're right - in a FoI request you need to know what you're asking for. But you can ask for "anything you have" on subject X, and "tell me everything you know" is not very practical.

What I'd like to know is the kind of categories, the kind of new organisations which would be added to the legitimate targets for requests, And of course the restrictions to exemptions, which of course could be total.

I just want a more positive presentation of the proposal, with example. I'm on your side, but practical politics demands something less vague.

Tone Franklin 2 weeks ago
WE are the Nation!
Our interests override ANY Governmental secrecy.
Information is Power!
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!
"Our" Government chooses to hate other foreign Nations on our behalf, yet how many of you/us hate ANYONE?
Choose Love. <3
Freedom of Information NOW!

Joanna Gordon Clark 2 weeks ago

Like this, as bureaucracies are far too fond of hiding things that they should not.Especially in local government where personal and local prejudices can hinder things enormously. I am currently being told that the piece of land which my District council made unuseable by allowing an enormous traveller site on its boundry will quite probably be bought by the council using compulsory purchase powers. This is theft. However they withheld some info under an FoI request back in 2005, and with this issue in particular are very very unlikely to tell you th whole truth..More power to your elbows.

Unki 3 days ago
This is a flawed piece of legislation,. I answer FOI enquiries and I can tell you that the majority of requests that come across my desk are from companies seeking to gain information that might give them an edge on bidding for contracts. One of the consequences of this Act is that sensitive topics or comments are no longer recorded as well as they used to be, so often information that should be available simply doesn't exist. It also costs the tax payer an absolute fortune to run! While I applaud the concept of completely open government, I'd rather see some legislation that ensured more information was published electronically and rules in place to ensure that proper notes, minutes and records were kept.

scrutoneer 1 day ago
It is very unfortunate indeed that, in the field of freedom of information, public bodies' concept of the "public interest" is uncomfortably close to their concept of their own interests. If the extent of the right to privacy of the individual could be defined, then I see no reason why ALL information relating to governmental transactions, excepting diplomatic and military information, and information on contracts under negotiation, should not be available to the public. How can any concept of accountability be sustained without this?

I was appalled by the revelation (Unki's contribution) that some details of public decision making are not recorded in order to resist requests for infomation. Under these conditions, what is to stop the remorseless progress towards a politicised Civil Service? Surely administration should not only be done, but it should be seen to be done; and civil servants, acting disinterestedly, in good faith, and according to law, should have no fears of personal liability.

SkagitIMS 2 weeks ago

From Twitter via BackType

just voted for expanding the Freedom of Information Act to make the #POWER2010 Election Pledge, do the same at http://tinyurl.com/yfyelbv

valstevenson 2 weeks ago

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RT @newsbrooke: RT @frabcus Vote to expand FOI! http://short.to/167s8

IanWardle 2 weeks ago

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RT @TransformDrugs Vote to expand Freedom of Information http://bit.ly/bxWyrG /Via @Power_2010

TransformDrugs 2 weeks ago

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vote to expand freedom of information http://bit.ly/bxWyrG

newsbrooke 2 weeks ago

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RT @frabcus Vote to expand FOI! http://short.to/167s8

lgowatcher 2 weeks ago

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Vote to expand the Freedom of Information Act. http://is.gd/7LzwT

garethj88 2 weeks ago

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2 more retweets from helpmeinvestig8, paulbradshaw.

RT @frabcus: Vote to expand FOI! http://www.power2010.org.uk/votes/entry/expand-the-scope-of-the-freedom-of-information-act

jokelly 2 weeks ago

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RT @frabcus Vote to expand FOI! http://www.power2010.org.uk/votes/entry/expand-the-scope-of-the-freedom-of-information-act