Media update

Scotsman - Act now to help improve freedom of information legislation
"IT IS over a year since freedom of information legislation was introduced and the impact of openness has been felt throughout the public sector, which accounts for about 25 per cent of Scotland's workforce. The Scottish Executive is undertaking a consultation to assess the impact of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.." (reg. required)

Sunday Herald (Scotland) - Revealed: how the Tories spent £18m on election
"Labour insiders, still reeling from their party’s handling of the row over loans, have used the FOI disclosure to call on the Tories to reveal who financed them. The information – provided to the Sunday Herald by the Electoral Commission – is the first time such detail on campaign spending has been published."


Daily Telegraph - Defra told The Archers to halt march of 4x4s
"An e-mail, released under the Freedom of Information Act, reveals that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) contacted producers on the show, which attracts more than four million listeners a week."

Regional news

The Carlisle News & Star - £100,000 for hospitals from car park charges
"Figures obtained by the News& Star under freedom of information laws reveal that North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospitals, receives an annual index-linked fee of £65,000 from Interserve FM, the company running the Cumberland Infirmary’s car parks..."