Commons Committee report blasts Cabinet Office FOI Clearing House

03/05/2022 | UK Parliament

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has published its report on the Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Clearing House. The inquiry was set up to investigate the level of transparency surrounding the Clearing House, the attempts by the Cabinet Office to review the Clearing House, along with its oversight and attitude towards FOI. The findings within the report are highly critical of the lack of transparency about the Clearing House’s operations. It also points out that a similar report carried out in 2006 found a number of the same issues exist fifteen years later. 

The issues include insufficient administration of FOI in both the Cabinet Office and across wider Government. Delays in responding to requests and reviews of refusals. It was also established that the Cabinet Office grants fewer requests and discloses less information than other Departments and that it is failing to promote FOI. 

Related articles: 

  • 26/11/21: Civil Service News: Denham calls for Ministers to ‘walk the talk on transparency’
  • 09/02/21: Sky News - Government rejects claim FOI unit profiles journalists and blocks requests
  • 26/11/20: The Guardian - Government unit blocking FOI is 'Orwellian'
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UK Government, Cabinet Office

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