Media roundup

BBC news 26th May - Immigrant centre escapes revealed
"The Home Office has revealed that 13 men have escaped from Haslar immigration removal centre at Gosport in Hampshire in less than two years. The details were disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act."

Telegraph 27th May - The number of Derbyshire police cars caught speeding: 59; The number of Derbyshire police officers prosecuted: 0
"Derbyshire Police made the admission after The Derby Evening Telegraph used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the statistics."

Accountancy Age - FRC voices fears over freedom of information
High level talks between the Financial Reporting Council and the DTI have taken place to address the regulator's fears that it would be unable to perform its role properly should sensitive corporate information become available under the Freedom of Information Act.

Western Mail - Health tourists 'cost Wales £3m a year'
"But, following questions submitted to the Welsh Assembly Government by the Western Mail, under the Freedom of Information Act, it emerged that the Assembly Government could be open to Human Rights Act legal cases in attempting to close the loophole which allows patients from England to travel across the border and pick up reduced-cost prescription items in Wales at the Assembly's expense."

Evening Gazette (Teeside) - Cash back
"Electronics giant Samsung has been forced to hand back millions of pounds of Government money it received to set up its microwave and PC monitor plants at Wynyard, on Teesside..But information obtained by the Evening Gazette under the Freedom of Information Act has revealed the company has paid back less than a quarter - £2.295m."

Western Mail - The biggest plumbing bill ever?
"A DOCUMENT produced by the Welsh Assembly Government makes the astonishing claim it would cost £65m to replace corroded copper piping at a hospital opened only 21 years ago. The incredible figure appears in a list of applications for capital funding made by NHS bodies in Wales. Dated March 2005, the list was released to the Western Mail following a request under the Freedom of Information Act."

The Times 26th May
"The legitimacy of Nominet, the registry of .uk web domain names, was called into question today after it was revealed that the Government has provided no statutory authority for the company to make judgments about web addresses in the UK....Mr Cohen made the discovery after he made an application to the Department of Trade & Industry under the Freedom of Information Act to ascertain whether the Nominet’s decisions are binding."

Eastern Daily Press - Confusion over twin bins rife
"Almost a quarter of North Norfolk householders have received cautions for not using their new wheelie bins properly.New figures gained through the Freedom of Information Act suggest residents are still confused between green and grey bins rubbish - a year after twin bins were introduced."

Leicester Mercury - Traveller site debate is to be kept secret
Council discussions about possible traveller sites are to remain secret after a Mercury bid to make them public was blocked.Leicester City Council has refused to release details under the Freedom of Information Act - but a councillor has revealed that two options are close to the M1."