Media update

IC Berkshire - Residents' group joins mum's parking fight
"A MOTHER who is forced to reverse on to a busy road because of "selfish" commuters has found support from the local residents association...He added that the group is using the freedom of information act to get the council to reveal what plans, if any, it has for the road."

Glasgow Evening Times - MSPs' expenses claims will go on the internet
"THE expense claims of MSPs will be published in minute detail under new plans to prevent abuse of the system. "

Carlisle News and Star - Time to reveal MPs’ expenses
"For the second year MPs’ expenses have been made public under the Freedom of Information Act. But the News & Star’s request for a detailed breakdown to determine exactly how the cash has been spent was refused. We are told that the information is an invasion of the MPs’ privacy, but surely constituents have a right to know how the person they elected spends taxpayers’ money."

Lewisham & Greenwich newsshopper - Hospital has to pay out more than £1m
"Figures released to News Shopper under the Freedom of Information Act show the hospital received nine claims during the year 2002/03, for which it paid out £7,631."

Daily Telegraph -£250,000 a year for NHS dentists
"Dentists are earning up to £250,000 a year in fees from the NHS, new figures have revealed.....A list of the top 50 dental practices by gross earnings has been released by the Dental Practice Board for England and Wales under the Freedom of Information Act."

The Gurdian - Are city academies really helping the poorest children?
"The figures, obtained partly under the Freedom of Information Act and partly in a written parliamentary answer, reveal that there was an overall increase in pupils at the 14 academies of more than 2,200 children compared to their predecessor schools. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals rose by around 480."

The Business online - Information act used to challenge Brown
"GORDON Brown, the UK Chancellor, may be forced to publish his entire set of economic assumptions under the Freedom of Information Act as a result of a dispute with a Liberal Democrat MP.John Hemming, a software entrepreneur elected for the LibDems in May, has acquired the economic model the Treasury used to produce the Budget and is now pressing for the accompanying data."

Wales on Sunday - Walien invasion: MoD probes UFO sightings
"WALES is being invaded by little green men, with the Ministry of Defence probing a new UFO sighting every six weeks....The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show seven sightings in 2002, eight in 2003, four in 2004 and nine so far this year."

The Guardian - Arms and the academy
"Using the new Freedom of Information Act, The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has found that 67 British universities and university colleges hold significant investments in the UK's major arms companies."

BBC news - MPs' expenses claims exceed £80m
"MPs claimed expenses and allowances of more than £80m last year - equivalent to £122,677 each - figures from Westminster officials show."

Bromsgrove Standard -£4million compo hampers the hard-hit hospitals
"Information released by the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to The Standard under the Freedom of Information Act revealed £3.952million was paid out in damages in 2004/05 to former patients at county hospitals in connection with clinical negligence claims."

Accountancy Age - MG Rover bill £5m and rising
"The DTI said this week, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, that Gervase MacGregor, the BDO partner working as the investigator, and his firm had earned £1,090,890 in fees, disbursements and VAT between the 31 May and 31 August – more than £10,000 a day."