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Campaign for Freedom of Information Profile picture
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Jun 6 • 4 tweets • 4 min read
📢 MPs debate the #NationalSecurity Bill today. @CampaignFoI & @a19right2info have serious concerns about the implications of the Bill for journalists and those working for civil society organisations who receive some funding from foreign governments.
#FOI #officialsecrets
The publication of leaked information which prejudices the UK’s interests would be an offence with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The identical act by someone without foreign government funding might not be an offence at all.
CSOs based in, or with a presence in the UK, which have received foreign governments for their int'l work include: @ActionAidUK, @Anti_Slavery, @article19org, @ClientEarth, @Global_Witness, @IndexCensorship, @mediadefence, @OCCRP, @privacyint, @ReprieveUK, @TransparencyUK.
Read our briefing for MPs: cfoi.org.uk/2022/06/concer…

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More from @CampaignFoI

Campaign for Freedom of Information Profile picture
May 31
New: @ICOnews Freedom of Information backlog remains high. On 25.4.22:
🔴 there were 2,272 active #FOI cases
🔴 the oldest dates from 6.3.20 (It involves the Cabinet Office and exemption for security bodies)
🔴 45% are over 6 months old
🔴 20% are over 9 m
🔴 7% are over 12 m
The ICO’s Director of #FOI and Transparency said in May 2022 that the caseload was still over 1,000 cases greater than it was before the Covid outbreak. The new figures illustrate the difficulty the ICO faces in reducing its backlog.
ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/…
We have urged @JCE_IC @ICOnews to do more to address #FOI delays, by using its power to serve ‘enforcement notices’ on authorities with large backlogs of requests. These can require multiple overdue requests to be answered by a set deadline.
Read 5 tweets
Campaign for Freedom of Information Profile picture
Mar 17
The @ICOnews has disclosed a briefing document prepared for new Commissioner @JCE_IC on developing its #FOI strategy. whatdotheyknow.com/request/822108…
It refers to longstanding criticisms @CampaignFOI has made of @ICOnews over the extent to which it uses its enforcement powers under #FOI and a lack of focus on its FOI work compared to data protection.
It also says "delays in our complaint handling system do understandably draw criticism from some high-profile groups, including the @CampaignFoI and @openDemocracy" and "@MySociety have suggested that the Access to Information brief should be split out of the ICO's functions".
Read 6 tweets
Campaign for Freedom of Information Profile picture
Nov 2, 2021
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill has its 2nd reading in @UKHouseofLords today.

We are calling for peers to reverse ARIA's exemption from Freedom of Information.

cfoi.org.uk/2021/11/lords-…

#FOI #ARIA #opengovuk
The idea that complying with #FOI would be an obstacle to the UK becoming or remaining a ‘science superpower’ is utterly implausible. The obstacles to innovation by funding bodies have been discussed at length and do not include FOI.
All public bodies have important tasks to fulfil in the public interest & ltd resources. ARIA has no greater claim to avoid complying with #FOI than any other body. On the contrary, its budget, which outstrips that of many FOI bodies, provides compelling grounds for its inclusion
Read 6 tweets
Campaign for Freedom of Information Profile picture
Oct 15, 2021
The FOI Act is a vital tool for journalists and campaigners. Here is a thread of some of the things we’ve recently learnt through #FOI requests 👇

If you want to protect your right to know, please consider supporting our urgent funding campaign crowdfunder.co.uk/fight-secrecy
A report from a 2016 pandemic preparation exercise warned Government of the need to stockpile PPE and set up a contact tracing system.

Request by @DrMQureshi covered by @Robert_Booth @guardian.

theguardian.com/politics/2021/…
At least 750 allegations of sexual misconduct were made against serving police officers across Britain over five years, with the highest number made against @gmpolice.

Request by @PA covered by @SamuelOsborne93
@SkyNews.

news.sky.com/story/police-f…
Read 12 tweets
Campaign for Freedom of Information Profile picture
Jun 9, 2021
🚨Our evidence to the @CommonsPACAC Greensill inquiry calls for the #FOI Act to be strengthened:

📝cfoi.org.uk/2021/06/campai…
It says without #FOI the extent of the company’s efforts to persuade the government to provide it with financial support, and the extraordinarily insistent lobbying by the former prime minister David Cameron may not have been uncovered, let alone documented in such detail.
It adds that the #FOI Act contains the elements of a highly effective tool to probe lobbying but it needs to be strengthened and more vigorously enforced.
Read 9 tweets
Campaign for Freedom of Information Profile picture
May 28, 2020
Before the pandemic, @ICOnews had been moving towards issuing enforcement notices against public authorities repeatedly breaching #FOI time limits. 1/11
In November 2019 an #FOI enforcement notice was drafted against an authority in the police & justice sector which had 900 outstanding requests 3 months earlier. Because of significant improvements it was not issued. 2/11
In January 2020 @ICOnews proposed issuing an enforcement notice against the Met Police, requiring it to clear all #FOI requests over 6 months old by 31 March 2020. 3/11
Read 12 tweets

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