written evidence from ganesh sit tampa lam

8/3/2019 Written Evidence From Ganesh Sit Tampa Lam

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FOI104WrittenevidencefromGaneshSittampalam

Executivesummary1. IamanindividualrequesterwithsignificantexperienceofusingtheAct.2. IbelievethattheActhasbeenverysuccessfulinopeningupaccesstopublicauthorities.3. InthissubmissionImainlyfocusonaspectsoftheActthatcouldbeimproved.4. HousesofParliament:itshouldbemadeclearthattheActisintendedtoapplytotheHousesof

Parliamentduringtheperiodofageneralelection.5. BBC:theBBCsderogationfromtheActforjournalisticmaterialshouldbereplacedbya

properlydraftedexemption.6. Promptness:ItshouldbemadeclearthattheexistingrequirementintheActforaprompt

responseisimportantandenforceable.7. Timelimits:Timelimitsshouldbeintroducedforpublicinteresttestsandforinternalreviews.8. Enforcement: TheCommissionerhasadequateenforcementpowersandshouldbeencouraged

tousethemmoreeffectively.9. Costslimit:thecurrentframeworkforestimatingcostsisworkingadequatelyandtampering

withitwouldbringsignificantcomplications.

Aboutthesubmitter10. IhavemadeFOIrequeststoarangeofpublicauthoritiestoobtainbackgroundmaterialona

rangeofaspectsofpublicpolicyandpublicadministrationthatinterestme.11. IhavemadeanumberofcomplaintstotheCommissionerandalsosuccessfullybroughtasmall

numberofcasestotheInformationTribunal,soIhaveagoodunderstandingofallstagesoftheFOIprocessfromtheperspectiveofarequester.

12. IamalsoavolunteeradministratorfortheWhatDoTheyKnow.comwebsiteandhavecontributedtoaseparatejointsubmissionmadeonbehalfofthatwebsite.ThissubmissionismadeinmypersonalcapacitybasedonmyownindividualexperiencesofusingtheAct.

ThebenefitsoftheAct13. IbelievethattheActhasbroughtaboutasubstantialshiftintherelationshipbetween

interestedcitizensandpublicauthorities.Itisnolongernecessarytorelyontheinformationanauthoritychoosestoputout,oronthepress,togainanunderstandingofthebehaviourofthepublicsector.

14.TheActprovidesaccesstointernalguidancethatcanbeveryhelpfulinexplainingpracticalaspectsofdailylife.Inonerecentrequest,IwasabletogetTransportforLondonsdefinitionsofwhatismeantbygoodserviceandminordelaysontheTube1,whichprovidesavaluableperspectiveonproblemsIseeinmydailycommute!

1http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/84798/response/248309/attach/3/Declaring%20Service%20Statu

s%20Criteria%20v1%206%2011%2011%2011.pdf


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FOI10415.Accesstointernalinformationcanoftenshowauthoritiesinagoodlight,correctingmisleading

impressionsfrompressstories.ForexampleafteranarticleinthepressthatKentPolicehad

confiscatedaboardgameduringaraidonaClimateCamp,aFOIrequestestablishedthatthis

hadbeendonebecausethegamewasknowntocontainabalaclavawhichcouldbeusedto

concealidentities.2

ProblemswiththeActHousesofParliamentduringdissolution16.TheHouseofCommonshasasomewhatuniquelegalpositionbecauseofitshistory.Duringa

dissolutionforageneralelection,ittechnicallydoesnotexistatall.

17.TheCommonsauthoritieshavechosentousethisasareasontodelayansweringrequestsduringaperiodofadissolution

3,eventhoughthestaffwhowouldanswertheserequests

continueto

be

employed

throughout

this

period.

18.ThisisdespitethefactthatinapreviouscasebeforetheInformationTribunal,theCommonsauthoritiesexplicitlyacknowledgedthattheydidnotthinkthiswastheintentionofParliament:

4

Forexample,theHouseassumesthatParliamentdidnotintendthatthepublicsrightto

informationfromtheHouseissuspendedduringperiodswhentheHouseisdissolvedeven

though,asmentionedabove,theHouseofCommonsdoesnotexistduringsuchperiods.

19.TheperiodofageneralelectionisoneinwhichthepublichasaparticularinterestintheworkoftheCommons,anditisthereforeregrettablethattheauthoritieshavechosentobeobstructive

in

this

regard.

20.ThepositionoftheHouseofLordsisevenmoreambiguousasLordsdonotlosetheirstatusduringadissolution.

21. IbelieveastraightforwardfixtotheActtoremedythiswouldbetolisttheCorporateOfficerofeachHouseaspublicauthorities.

BBCderogation22.TheBBChasaderogationwhichmeanstheyareonlysubjecttotheActinrespectof

informationheldforpurposesotherthanthoseofjournalism,artorliteraturethespecial

purposes.

23. ItisrightthattheBBCbeexemptedfromreleasinginformationthatisdirectlypartofitsjournalisticandcreativeactivities.Butthelawisbadlydraftedinthisareaandisbeingabusedby

theBBCtoobstructscrutinyofitsspending.

24.ForexampletheBBChastriedtousethederogationtorefusemeinformationaboutthemoneyspentonmarketing,pressandpublicity.Requestsmadebyothersabouthowmanystaffwere

senttotheBeijingOlympicshavealsobeenrefused.

25.ThesekindsofrequestsfocusmuchmoreonthegeneraluseofpublicmoneyratherthanthedetailsoftheBBCscreativeoutput,andIbelievethisshouldbeproperlyopentoscrutiny.

2http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/confiscation_of_property 3

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/new_members_guidebook#incoming

86639

4Appeals EA/2006/0074/0075/0076: http://www.informationtribunal.gov.uk/DBFiles/Decision/i84/HoC2.pdf ,

para38


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FOI10426.ThedraftingofthederogationhasledtotwosuccessiveHouseofLords/SupremeCourtappeals

inrespectofasinglerequestmadebythelateStevenSugar,thefirsttoestablishtherightroute

ofappealwhentheCommissionerdecidesthatrequestedinformationisnotsubjecttotheAct,

andthesecondtoclarifyhowinformationheldbothforthespecialpurposesandforother

purposesshould

be

treated.

27.Thecurrentsituation,pendingthefinalSupremeCourtruling,isthatifinformationisheldtoanyextentforthespecialpurposes,thenitisnotcovered.

28. Isuggestthatthederogationbereplacedbyanormalexemptionandtheambiguityresolvedtomakeitclearthatinformationisonlyexemptifheldjustforthespecialpurposes.Failingthatthe

testtheCommissioneroriginallyformulatedofadominantpurposeshouldberestored.

Promptness29.Section10oftheActstatesthatauthoritiesmustrespondtorequestspromptlyandinany

eventnotlaterthanthetwentiethworkingdayfollowingthedateofreceipt.

30.DuringParliamentarydebatesbeforetheActwaspassed,itwasexplicitthatthiswasintendedtobeanenforceableright

5:

theCommissionermayserveadecisionnoticeoranenforcementnoticeonanauthority

whichfailedtodealwitharequestforinformationpromptly,eventhoughitdealtwithit

within40days

[the40dayswassubsequentlyreducedto20]

31. IthasunfortunatelyprovedalmostimpossibletorelyonthispartoftheAct.32. InonerequesttotheDepartmentofCulture,MediaandSportwhenIcomplainedabout

promptness,theyrespondedthat6

UndertheFreedomofInformationActwearerequiredtorespondwithin20workingdays,

whichyouacceptwedid.PreviouscaseswhichhavebeentotheInformationCommissioner

withasimilarargumenttotheoneyououtlinehavebeenrejectedasitisunderstoodthat

wedohave20workingdaystorespond

33.ThisattitudedoesindeedextendtotheCommissioner.InresponsetoacomplaintabouttheCabinetOfficespromptness,theICOscaseofficerclaimed

TheAct

provides

an

explicit

timetable

in

which

public

authorities

must

respond

to

a

request.Iunderstandyourfrustrationinnotreceivinganearlierresponsewithoutdelay,

however,theresponsewasprovidedinaccordancewiththetimetableprovidedbytheAct.

34. IbelievethatthisisaclearexamplewheretheActisnotoperatingasintended.Failuretoenforcethisrequirementmeansthatmanyauthoritiesroutinelywaitthefull20workingdaysto

respondeventotrivialrequests.

35.Thisisparticularlydamagingincaseswheretheauthoritysresponseistosimplyrefertherequestertoanotherauthority,aswasthecasewithmyrequesttotheCabinetOffice.Inthis

5http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmpubadm/570/57015.htm

6http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/public_cost_of_royal_family_and#incoming 69707


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FOI104instancetheyreferredmetotheTreasurywhoalsodidnotholdtheinformationandafteryet

moredayswaiting,sentmeontoHMRCwhoactuallydidholdit.

36.Thefailuretobepromptactuallyhasaknockoneffectonauthoritiesaswellasrequesters:becauseresponseswillprobablybeslow,thereisanincentivetoframebroaderrequeststhan

strictlynecessary

rather

than

making

asmall

initial

request

and

following

up

as

necessary.

37.Similarlyifmultiplepublicbodiesmightholdinformation,itcurrentlyseemsbettertoaskallofthemforitinthefirstinstance,ratherthantotrythemostlikelyfirst.

38.AstherequirementforpromptnessisalreadyenshrinedintheAct,andthemainproblemisthatitisnotbeingtakenseriouslybyeitherauthoritiesortheCommissioner,Ibelievethesituation

couldbeimprovedbyaclearstatementfromlegislatorsthattheybelievethattherequirement

forpromptnessisimportantandshouldbeenforced.

Timelimits39.ThelackoftimelimitsintheActforpublicinteresttestsandforinternalreviewsisafrequent

pointof

friction

with

authorities.

40.Thereislittleornoevidencethatauthoritiesgenuinelyneedthisflexibility.41.ThepositioninScotland,withnoextensionforthepublicinteresttestanda40workingdaylimit

forinternalreviews,providesanalternativemodelfortheUKtofollow.

Poorlyorganisedauthorities42.SomeauthoritiesseemtoconsistentlyhavedifficultymeetingtheirobligationsundertheAct.In

mypersonalexperiencetheseincludetheCabinetOfficeandtheHomeOffice.

43.MetarequestsrequestsforinformationabouthowapreviousFOIrequestwashandledsuggestthatforthemostpartlongdelayedrequestsreceivelittleattentionforweeksata

time.7, 8

44.Oftentheseauthoritiesseemtospendsubstantiallymoretimeonlookingforreasonstorefuseordelayarequestthanonactuallyprovidingananswer.

45.Forexample,inrulingagainstanattemptbytheHomeOfficetodeclarearequestfrommevexatious,theCommissionerobserved

9:

WhiletheHomeOfficehasmadeconsiderablerepresentationsabouttheadditionalworkit

hasundertakenfollowingthecomplainantsrequests,mostofthisworkwasincurredasa

resultofthewaytheHomeOfficehandledtherequests.

46.Difficultiesansweringrequestssometimesalsoappeartooriginatefromextraordinarilypoorrecordsmanagement.TheHomeOfficeisapparentlyunabletoprovidecopiesof16contracts

theysignedwiththeACPOin2009/10withinthecostslimit10:

7

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/32334/response/90755/attach/3/FOI%2014618%2010%2006%20

10.pdf8

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/48265/response/207601/attach/3/20110822%20Sittampalam%20Digest%20Release.docx9http://www.ico.gov.uk/~/media/documents/decisionnotices/2011/fs_50380320.ashx ,paragraph25


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FOI104Locatingandcollatingthisinformationwouldinvolveretrievingdocumentationfrom

variousotherunitsintheHomeOfficeCrimeandPolicingGroup(CPG),duetothefactthat

thetotalfundingamountisnotcentrallyheld.CPGconsistsofover23unitsamountingto

over100individuals.Thisworkwouldmeancollatinginformationthroughsearching

differentinformation

sources

(namely

23

shared

electronic

drives,

personal

drives

and

separatepaperrecords)heldbyeachunit.

47.GiventhatthesearelegaldocumentsandalsothattheGovernmentstatedin2010thatallcontractswithvaluesofmorethan25,000shouldberoutinelypublished,Ifinditveryhardto

understandwhythesearenotkeptinacentrallocation.

TheInformationCommissioner48.SubstantialdelaysininvestigatingcomplaintsbytheInformationCommissionerhavebeenwell

documentedinthepast.

49.Thesedelayshavenowbeenreducedbutarestillsignificant:itstilltypicallytakes612monthstogetadecisionaboutanysubstantivecomplaint.

50.ThisagaincontrastswiththepositioninScotlandwherethelegislationsetsatargetof4monthsfortheScottishCommissioner.

11

51.Oneconsequenceisthatanyauthoritythatwantstodelaythereleaseoftimesensitiveinformationcaneasilydoso.

52.TheCommissioneralreadyhassubstantialpowerstotakeactionagainstpersistentlypoorlyperformingauthorities.

53.Hiscurrentapproachonlyfocusesontheabsoluteworstperformersandisratherprotracted;authoritieswhicharealreadydemonstrablyfailingarefirstmonitoredformanymoremonths,

thenifstill

failing

are

persuaded

to

sign

undertakings

and

monitored

for

afurther

substantial

period.NonewauthoritieshavebeenplacedundermonitoringsinceApril2011.

54. IbelievetheCommissionershouldusehispowersmuchmoreaggressively,andissueenforcementnoticeswheneverapatternofpoorperformanceemerges.

Thecostslimit55.TheMoJsmemorandumhighlightsthatanumberofpublicauthoritieswouldliketoseechanges

totheoperationofthecostslimit,inparticulartoincluderedaction,consultationandreading

time.

56.Currently,themeasureoftimeforthecostslimitisfairlyobjectiveinthatitonlycomprisesthetimerequiredforwelldefinedandlimitedactivities locating,retrievingandextracting

information.EvensothereareoftendisputesbeforetheCommissioneraboutthe

reasonablenessofsuchestimates.

57.Addingmoreactivitiesparticularlyconsultationandreading wouldintroduceamuchmoresubjectiveelementwhichwouldlikelyleadtoasignificantincreaseinsuchdisputes.

58. Includingredactiontimewouldcreateanincentiveforauthoritiestomaintaininformationinformswherereleasableinformationisintermingledwithexemptinformation.

10

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/53125/response/228394/attach/3/16988%20Sittampalam%20response.pdf,paragraph1811

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2002/13/section/49


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FOI10459.Measuringtherequiredredactiontimeisalsoproblematicbecauseitpresupposesthatan

exemptionreallydoesapplybutthatmaybeamatterofdispute.

60. Inthecurrentregime,thefirststepinhandlingarequestistotestthecostslimit,andonlyiftheinformationcanbeextracted,toconsiderothermoresubstantiveexemptions.

61.Thissimpletwostageprocesswouldbeenormouslycomplicatediftheapplicationofsubstantiveexemptionshadtobeconsideredintandemwiththeapplicationofthecostslimit.

62.Forexample,IhaveobtainedthereleaseoftheBBCscontractwithCapitatooperateTVlicensing.

12ThiscontractrunstoseveralhundredpagesandtheBBCinitiallysoughttowithhold

significantpartsofit,withmanysmallredactions.EventuallytheInformationCommissioner

orderedreleaseofthewholedocumentwithoutanyredactionsatall.

63. Ibelievethatchangestothecalculationofthecostlimitwouldmakeobtainingdocumentsofthisnatureharderorimpossible.Particularlygiventhecurrenttrendstowardsoutsourcing,

accesstosuchcontractsisinmyviewvitaltounderstandinghowpublicservicesarerun.

February2012

12http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/tv_licensing_contracts_with_capi#incoming 171072

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