"Increasing anxiety" on Code requests

News email from Alasdair Roberts, Syracuse University, NY
(http://www.foi.net)

"Following the Mirror's report of a UK Cabinet meeting last Thursday in which
(according to the Mirror) it was agreed that a "central clearing house" for
UK FOIA requests should be established, the following documents might be of
interest.

Released today following a Code request to the UK Department of
Constitutional Affairs, the minutes of a January meeting of the Freedom of
Information Practitioners' Group notes "an increasing level of anxiety at
permanent secretary level" about inconsistencies in responses to Code
requests sent to central government departments, and poor compliance with
restrictions on disclosure relating to ministerial decision-making.

A background paper for the Group suggests a range of options for dealing
with these issues, including the possibility of a required consultation with
the Department of Constitutional Affairs when constitutional conventions
could be harmed by disclosure of information.

The minutes of the January 24 meeting of the Practitioners' Group and the
background paper can be accessed through http://www.foi.net."