freedom of information – Current Awareness

Grooming gangs come from ‘diverse backgrounds’, says Home Office as review finally published – The Independent

Posted December 16th, 2020 in child abuse, children, freedom of information, gangs, government departments, news, Pakistan, sexual grooming, sexual offences, statistics by tracey

‘Grooming gangs come from “diverse backgrounds”, a Home Office review has concluded. The research, originally promised by Sajid Javid in 2018, was published on Tuesday following a government U-turn. The Home Office previously said releasing the paper would not be in the “public interest”, in response to a Freedom of Information request by The Independent, but committed to making it public after a petition signed by more than 130,000 people.’
Full report

The Independent, 15th December 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court to rule on UK freedom of information bids from overseas – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2020 in extradition, foreign jurisdictions, freedom of information, government departments, news, tribunals by tracey

‘The rights of those living abroad to submit freedom of information requests are to be tested in court after more than a dozen cases – including one relating to Julian Assange’s extradition – were blocked. A combined hearing involving the Home Office, Metropolitan police, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and 13 separate cases is to be held at an information tribunal in London.’

The Guardian, 6th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Infected blood scandal: Treasury refuses to publish key documents – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2020 in bereavement, blood products, disclosure, documents, freedom of information, government departments, inquiries, media, news by sally

‘The Treasury is refusing to publish key documents about the treatment of haemophiliacs infected by the NHS with HIV on the grounds that it would be “disruptive” and material might be “distorted” by the media.’

The Guardian, 21st September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

FOIA Appeals and Enforcement: Who has the Power? – Panopticon

Posted July 3rd, 2020 in appeals, data protection, enforcement, freedom of information, local government, news, tribunals by sally

‘When the First-tier Tribunal decides an information rights appeal and finds in favour of the requestor, who has the responsibility for enforcing any non-compliance with that judgment? Is it the FTT, or is the Information Commissioner? In an interesting judgment of Judge Jacobs in Moss v Information Commissioner & Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames [2020] UKUT 174 (AAC), the Upper Tribunal has held that it is the FTT.’

Panopticon, 2nd July 2020

Source: panopticonblog.com

Data watchdog relaxes regulatory function to prioritise guidance on complying with law during coronavirus public health emergency – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 26th, 2020 in auditors, coronavirus, data protection, enforcement, fines, freedom of information, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will stand down audit work, issue fewer fines and generally use fewer formal powers against organisations that are struggling to meet data protection standards as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.’

Local Government Lawyer, 22nd May 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

If ministers fail to reveal 2016 flu study they ‘will face court’ – The Guardian

Posted April 27th, 2020 in coronavirus, disclosure, doctors, freedom of information, government departments, health, judicial review, news, pre-action conduct, reports by sally

‘The government faces being taken to court if it refuses to disclose the findings of an exercise confirming the UK could not cope with a flu pandemic.’

The Guardian, 26th April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge orders fresh hearing in dispute over disclosure of advice to council on tactics in negotiations with supermarket giant – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 21st, 2020 in appeals, disclosure, freedom of information, local government, news, planning, tribunals by sally

‘An Upper Tribunal judge has set aside a decision by a First-tier Tribunal (FTT) that upheld – after a freedom of information request – the withholding of an agent’s advice to a local authority on the tactics it should apply in negotiations with Tesco over a proposed development.’

Local Government Lawyer, 20th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Information watchdog sets out its regulatory approach during COVID-19 – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 17th, 2020 in coronavirus, data protection, freedom of information, news, ombudsmen, privacy by sally

‘The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued a statement setting out its regulatory approach during the coronavirus pandemic, saying it will focus on those areas likely to cause the greatest public harm.’

Local Government Lawyer, 16th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Tribunal stays information rights cases for 28 days – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 6th, 2020 in coronavirus, data protection, delay, freedom of information, news, time limits, tribunals by sally

‘The First-Tier Tribunal General Regulatory Chamber (Information Rights) has – with immediate effect – stayed for a period of 28 days all proceedings under section 48 of the Data Protection Act 1998, section 162 of the Data Protection Act 2018 and section 57 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.’

Local Government Lawyer, 3rd April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Icebergs Avoided: Navigating the s23 Case Law – Panopticon

Posted March 20th, 2020 in appeals, disclosure, freedom of information, news, tribunals by sally

‘Anyone who has had a FOIA case in the national security space will have faced the near-impossible task of trying to work out what on earth Corderoy & Ahmed v Information Commissioner & Attorney General & Cabinet Office [2017] UKUT 495 (AAC) means; a front-runner for most impenetrable Upper Tribunal decision on FOIA. Now Judge Markus QC has had a go at squaring the circle in Lownie v Information Commissioner & Foreign and Commonwealth Office & The National Archives [2020] UKUT 32 (AAC).’

Panopticon, 19th March 2020

Source: panopticonblog.com

Sex offender’s hard drive in police commissioner’s safe for 14 years – BBC News

Posted March 12th, 2020 in disclosure, evidence, freedom of information, indecent photographs of children, news, police by tracey

‘Indecent images of children could not be used as evidence because they were in a police commissioner’s safe.’

BBC News, 12th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

Posted November 26th, 2019 in disclosure, environmental protection, freedom of information, news, privilege by sally

‘In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Christopher Badger considers a successful appeal for the disclosure of privileged instructions to Counsel under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the adoption of legislative reforms on sustainable finance and investments by the European Council and Greenpeace claims that the UK will miss environmental targets for 2020 and beyond.’

Six Pump Court, 19th November 2019

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Police officers illicitly access police computers including checks on a partner’s criminal record – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 8th, 2019 in computer crime, criminal records, data protection, freedom of information, news, police by tracey

‘Hundreds of police officers and staff have illicitly accessed police databases for their own ends including checking the criminal records of partners. Freedom of Information requests show 237 officers and staff have been disciplined for accessing the highly-sensitive police national computer or other IT systems in the past two years.’

Daily Telegraph, 7th November 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tribunal orders council to disclose instructions sent to QC over motion for ‘call-in’ of planning applications – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 4th, 2019 in disclosure, freedom of information, news, planning, privilege by sally

‘The First-tier Tribunal has ordered Ryedale District Council to disclose the briefing question it sent to a Queen’s Counsel seeking advice on a motion in which councillors sought for competing retail planning applications to be ‘called in’.’

Local Government Lawyer, 1st November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Upper Tribunal orders fresh hearing in dispute over refusal by council to disclose advice of independent person – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 31st, 2019 in complaints, disclosure, freedom of information, local government, news, planning by sally

‘A local resident who complained about the conduct of a councillor at Stratford-on-Avon District Council over a planning matter has secured a fresh hearing over the council’s refusal to disclose advice given by an independent person.’

Local Government Lawyer, 31st October 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

When to assess the public interest in a FOIA request? Four years ago says Upper Tribunal in Maurizi – Panopticon

Posted October 24th, 2019 in Crown Prosecution Service, freedom of information, news, public interest by sally

‘For four years, Italian journalist Stefania Maurizi has been fighting a FOIA battle for the release of correspondence held by the CPS concerning Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange.’

Panopticon, 23rd October 2019

Source: panopticonblog.com

Counter-terror police running secret Prevent database – The Guardian

Posted October 8th, 2019 in case management, crime prevention, freedom of information, news, police, terrorism by tracey

‘Counter-terror police across the UK have been running a secret database containing details of thousands of individuals referred to the government’s controversial anti-radicalisation Prevent programme, the Guardian can reveal.’

The Guardian, 6th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alison Berridge, Alexandra Littlewood and Ciar McAndrew: Freedom of Information Journal – Recent decisions of the Commissioner and Tribunal – Monckton Chambers

Posted August 29th, 2019 in closed material, emergency services, examinations, freedom of information, news, public interest by sally

‘Alison Berridge, Alexandra Littlewood and Ciar McAndrew, public law barristers at Monckton Chambers, highlight the points of interest from April-June decisions of the First-Tier and Upper Tribunals.’

Monckton Chambers, 20th August 2019

Source: www.monckton.com

Fake NHS psychiatrist ‘medicated at least 160 patients’ – The Independent

Posted July 25th, 2019 in fraud, freedom of information, news, psychiatrists, theft, vetting by tracey

‘GMC apologises for “inadequate” checks after bogus doctor practised for 22 years.’

The Independent, 24th July 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Home Office accused of covering up plight of hundreds of trafficking victims wrongly detained in immigration centres – The Independent

Posted July 17th, 2019 in detention, forced labour, freedom of information, government departments, immigration, news, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘The Home Office has been accused of covering up the plight of hundreds of modern slavery victims after it was forced to disclose data it previously claimed to have “no record” of.’

The Independent, 16th July 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

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