Media update

Public finance - Businesses criticised for using FoI to gain commercial insight
"‘Most’ freedom of information requests from businesses to local authorities are illegitimate, FoI officers have told an independent review of the Act’s first six months of implementation."

Belfast Telegraph - Freedom of information? ...not if you want to know who's on Hain's Xmas card list!
"The Government has refused to release Secretary of State Peter Hain's Christmas card list - in case it offends people not on it.The Northern Ireland Office flatly turned down a freedom of information request from the Belfast Telegraph for a list of Mr Hain's festive card recipients."

Guardian - Maxwell was under investigation for war crimes
"A Metropolitan police file released to the newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that police had begun questioning members of Maxwell's platoon and were preparing a case for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)."

Guardian -Britain gave Israel plutonium, files show
"Britain secretly supplied Israel with plutonium during the 1960s despite a warning from military intelligence that it could help the Israelis to develop a nuclear bomb, it was disclosed last night. The deal, made during Harold Wilson's Labour government, is revealed in classified documents released under the Freedom of Information Act and obtained by BBC2's Newsnight programme."

Cambs Times - Long term offenders do some useful work
"SOME of Britain's most notorious criminals are being given the chance to earn up to £1,200 a year while serving their time at Whitemoor Prison, March.The figures have been supplied to the Cambs Times by the National Offender Management Service after an application for information under the Freedom of Information Act."