Information Commissioner's evidence to Justice Committee

Richard Thomas gave evidence to the Justice Select Committee on 13 January 2009 on developments to the role of the Information Commissioner during his time in office since 2002 and the key issues facing his successor. You can read his written submission to the Committee here.

"My overall conclusion is positive. But there are challenges ahead. The most important is to secure adequate and longer-term funding so that the ICO can recruit, train and retain experienced staff and reduce delays in resolving cases. At the same time, more (and faster) cases confirming where the boundary lines are to be drawn should reduce the burden on public authorities and allay any remaining worries about the “chilling effect” of FOI on good government. Looking further ahead, I foresee a gradual shift of emphasis away from individualised requests and complaints in the direction of much more routine proactive disclosure with only the genuine “Crown Jewels”staying secret."

See also:
Info chief makes no promises on ending FoI backlog - Press Gazette