public records – Current Awareness

Cassandra Somers-Joce: Government by WhatsApp: Where are we now? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted April 24th, 2023 in codes of practice, constitutional law, electronic mail, freedom of information, government departments, news, public records, telecommunications by tracey

‘A new Cabinet Office policy has recently been published which provides guidance on the use of instant messaging technologies, such as WhatsApp, by government officials. The policy discourages the use of non-corporate communications channels (“NCCCs”), particularly when these platforms are accessed on personal devices. The new policy is a welcome development in the regulation of “government by WhatsApp,” and demonstrates better practice with respect to the public law duties which are applicable in this context, namely, the Public Records Act 1958, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the common law duty of candour.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 22nd April 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Judicial Review of Policies – Local Government Law

Posted May 5th, 2022 in civil servants, government departments, judicial review, news, public records, statutory duty by sally

‘R (All the Citizens) v SoS (2022) EWHC 960 (Admin), a Divisional Court is concerned with whether there is a legal duty, enforceable by judicial review, to create and maintain records so that they are available for posterity, and whether policies are enforceable as a matter of public law.’

Full Story

Local Government Law, 4th May 2022

Source: local-government-law.11kbw.com

Companies House abandons plan to delete 2.5m public records – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2016 in company directors, company law, data protection, news, public records by tracey

‘Controversial plans to delete more than 2.5m public records have been abandoned by the government’s company registration agency.’

Full story

The Guardian,24th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ministry of Defence holds 66,000 files in breach of 30-year rule – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2013 in archives, data protection, disclosure, freedom of information, government departments, news, Northern Ireland, public records by sally

“The Ministry of Defence is unlawfully holding thousands of files that should have been declassified and transferred to the National Archive under the 30-year rule, including large numbers of documents about the conflict in Northern Ireland.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police spies stole identities of dead children – The Guardian

Posted February 4th, 2013 in children, complaints, identity fraud, news, police, public records by tracey

“Undercover officers created aliases based on details found in birth and death records, Guardian investigation reveals.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Independent review recommends halving 30-year rule – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 30th, 2009 in press releases, public records by sally

“The review team set up to examine how public records are made available has recommended that the government halves the number of years the public must wait to see government information.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 29th January 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bruising battle looms over release of records – The Times

Posted January 30th, 2009 in news, public records by sally

“The proposal to halve from 30 to 15 years the period before government records are publicly released is both welcome and overdue. But this is only part of the answer to the question of what, and when, the public should know about how decisions are taken on their behalf, as is recognised in yesterday’s independent review by a panel including Paul Dacre, Editor of the Daily Mail, who was chairman; Professor Sir David Cannadine, the historian; and Sir Joe Pilling, a retired Permanent Secretary.”

Full story

The Times, 30th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Rule on secret Government documents could be relaxed – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 29th, 2009 in news, public records by sally

“Secret Government documents could be released earlier when a report is published into whether the 30-year-rule should be relaxed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th January 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk