Elitist culture of secrecy must end, says Lord Falconer – The Times
“The former Lord Chancellor wants an end to off-the-record briefings and a relaxation of Cabinet collective responsibility.”
The Times, 2nd June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Category: freedom of information
Abortion numbers for disabilities should be kept secret: Government lawyers – Daily Telegraph
“Releasing data on the number of abortions performed for conditions like clubroot and cleft palate may cause ‘mental distress or harm’ to vulnerable women and must be kept secret, lawyers for the Department of Health have argued.”
Daily Telegraph, 29th May 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Late abortion tribunal challenge – BBC News
“Pro-life campaigners are continuing their fight for the publication of details of late medical abortions. An information tribunal is set to hear a Department of Health appeal that such information should not be published.”
BBC News, 28th May 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Order to release animal test data – BBC News
“Several universities and major colleges have been ordered to reveal information about their animal experiments by the Information Commissioner’s Office.”
BBC News, 9th April 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Names of misbehaving judges ‘should be made public’ – The Guardian
“An attempt to force the names of misbehaving judges into the open will be launched tomorrow in a groundbreaking freedom of information case.”
The Guardian, 16th March 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
MPs vote to change law to keep home addresses secret – Daily Telegraph
“The move came after a court ordered Parliament to disclose details of properties on which MPs claim expenses. The House of Commons on Monday backed an amendment to the Political Parties and Elections Bill, which effectively excludes MPs’ addresses from the Freedom of Information Act.”
Daily Telegraph, 3rd March 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Office of Communications v Information Comr – WLR Daily
Office of Communications v Information Comr; [2009] WLR (D) 71
“When balancing the public interest in maintaining an exception to disclosure of environmental information against the public interest in its disclosure the correct test was to consider whether the aggregate public interest in maintaining the exception outweighed the public interest in disclosure. A benefit arising from unlawful use of disclosed information could be taken into account as an aspect of the public interest in disclosure.”
WLR Daily, 27th February 2009
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
Office of Communications v Information Commissioner – Times Law Reports
Court of Appeal
“Beneficial consequences flowing from the unlawful use of disclosed information could be taken into account when balancing the public interest in disclosure of environmental information against the statutory exemption from disclosure.”
The Times, 27th February 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 from the date of publication.
Straw vetoes publication of cabinet Iraq war minutes – The Guardian
“Jack Straw today said he would take the unprecedented step of vetoing the release of cabinet minutes relating to the decision to invade Iraq.”
The Guardian, 24th February 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Jack Straw issues ‘veto’ certificate under the Freedom of Information Act – Ministry of Justice
“Justice Secretary Jack Straw has issued a ‘veto’ certificate under section 53 of the Freedom of Information Act (2000), overruling the Information Tribunal’s decision of 27 January upholding the Information Commissioner’s decision of 19 February 2008.”
Ministry of Justice, 23rd February 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Commune de Sausheim v Azelvandre – WLR Daily
Commune de Sausheim v Azelvandre (Case C-552/07); [2009] WLR (D) 64
“The national authorities could not rely on the protection of public order or other interests in order to oppose the disclosure of information on the location of the release of GMOs into the environment.
The Fourth Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Community so ruled, inter alia, on a reference for a preliminary ruling by the Conseil d’État, France. Art 6 of Directive 2001/18 provides for a standard authorisation procedure for the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment. Art 25(4) provides: ‘In no case may the following information when submitted according to [art 6] be kept confidential:— … location of release …'”
WLR Daily, 20th February 2009
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
Princess Diana letters to government ministers must remain a secret – Daily Telegraph
“Private letters between Princess Diana and the British Government will remain secret after a ruling by the UK’s Information Commissioner.”
Daily Telegraph, 18th February 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Ministers told to publish ID cards review – Daily Telegraph
“A Government review in to the viability of the ID cards programme must be published after a four year battle to keep it secret.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th February 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
British Broadcasting Corporation v Sugar and another – WLR Daily
British Broadcasting Corporation v Sugar and another [2009] UKHL 9; [2009] WLR (D) 51
“The BBC was a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 so that a request for information which the BBC claimed was held for the purposes of journalism, and was therefore excluded from the requirements of disclosure, was subject to the jurisdiction of the Information Commissioner and, on appeal, the Information Tribunal, even if the information requested was held for the purposes of art, journalism or literature.”
WLR Daily, 12th February 2009
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
British Broadcasting Corporation v Sugar and Another – Times Law Reports
British Broadcasting Corporation v Sugar and Another
House of Lords
“The British Broadcasting Corporation was a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which meant that all requests for information were subject to the jurisdiction of the Information Commissioner and, on appeal, the Information Tribunal, even if the information requested was held for the purposes of art, journalism or literature.”
The Times, 12th February 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
House of Lords rule against BBC on release of bias report – The Times
“A lawyer has won the backing of the House of Lords in his campaign to force the BBC to disclose an internal report on perceived bias in its coverage of the Middle East.”
The Times, 12th February 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Lords to rule on release of BBC Middle East conflict report – The Guardian
“The law lords will rule today on whether the BBC should release an internal report on its coverage of the Middle East conflict.”
The Guardian, 11th February 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Secret Cabinet minutes on Iraq must be made public, tribunal rules – The Times
“Minutes of Cabinet discussions on the legality of war in Iraq have been ordered to be made public by the Information Tribunal, which today rejected appeals by the head of the civil service to keep them secret.”
The Times, 27th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
MPs defy the judges to keep ‘John Lewis’ expenses list secret – The Times
“Details of MPs’ claims for plasma televisions, furniture and cleaning bills will be kept secret after Harriet Harman bowed to backbenchers’ pressure to stop expenses claims being published.”
The Times, 16th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Home Office reveals FOI policies – BBC News
“An email sent by mistake from the Home Office to the BBC has revealed that freedom of information requests are often first reviewed by ministers.”
BBC News, 10th December 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
