Request for help with research into MPs use of FOIA(2000)

Thanks for all the responses so far (about 30 to date) - do keep them coming in, the survey will be open for several weeks. Remember you can win a book!

See my previous posting for full details

The survey is available here: http://www.survey.ljmu.ac.uk/foi

Rick Snell's new blog

Australian academic Rick Snell has set up a blog on FOI called "Information & Access", Rick has been a well known and respected FOI academic internationally for many years. Look forward to reading his blog, now among many excellent Austrlian FOI blogs (see links below on menu). He also has a page of FOI resources at: http://ricksnell.com.au/

New disclosure logs

The Index has been updated with the following:

-Cambridge Constabularly

- London Councils

- North Wales Police

-Housing Corporation

-Devon & Cornwall Constabulary

- Bedfordfordshire County Council

The disclosure index is now available at this standalone URL http://www.foi-directory.org/ (the wiki foi directory project formerly at this address has been closed due to lack of use)

Lord chancellor gives warning on secrecy

Writing in The Guardian today David Hencke reports on govt splits about the current Private Members Bill that would exempt parliament and MPs' correspondence:

The lord chancellor has warned ministers that exempting MPs from freedom of information inquiries will damage public confidence in the principles of open government. A leaked letter from Lord Falconer, seen by the Guardian, shows that the cabinet is split on whether to back a private member's bill to exempt parliament and MPs' correspondence from the Freedom of Information Act. Jack Straw, Margaret Beckett and Peter Hain want to back the bill so it can be debated by parliament.

Read the full article

Information on excessive expenses claims to be released under FOI

ICO press release:

The Information Commissioner has ordered Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council to reveal the names of some of the councillors and officials who repaid money to the council after making excessive expenses claims. The council had refused to release the information suggesting that it would contravene the Data Protection Act.

In his decision the Information Commissioner has distinguished between repayments made on a voluntary basis and so-called criminal repayments made by members and officials, following an investigation by South Yorkshire Police in the late 1990s. Under the Freedom of Information Act the council must now disclose the names of those convicted and the amount they were told to repay. However, the Information Commissioner does not require the names of the people who made voluntary repayments to be disclosed, as he considers that to do so would be unfair to those involved. At the time the expenses were claimed, the council did not have any clear guidance on appropriate amounts to claim for expenses.

The council was right that responding fully to the initial request would have exceeded the appropriate time limit, however the Information Commissioner found that the council breached the Freedom of Information Act by failing to offer the person requesting the information an opportunity to narrow the request to bring it within the limit.

The council now has 35 calendar days from the date of the Decision Notice to disclose the information. The full Decision Notice is available from 31 January.

Europe: Data Protection Day: 28th January

For the first time, the Council of Europe will be celebrating a Data Protection Day on 28 January:

The aim of the Data Protection Day is to give European citizens the chance to understand what personal data is collected and processed about them and why, and what their rights are with respect to this processing.

Further details on the Legal Affairs Directorate website

FOI Practitioners: call for assistance with my research

I am currently asking FOI Practitioners to fill out a questionnaire about FOIA (2000) requests from Westminster MPs. I am asking for some basic data about these requests. Anecdotally I know that most you have not received vast volumes so I hope it would not take too much of your time to find the data. This survey aims to find out about requests made by Westminster MPs (in official capacity as elected representatives) to public authorities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 since January 2005. The survey is concerned with requests made by MPs that explicitly identify themselves as such. If you have the data but would prefer to email me the data direct rather than using the web based questionnaire that will be great as well.

I am looking for responses for any public body covered by FOIA apart from central govt depts as I already adequate data from this sector. This forms parts of a research paper I have been working on for the past year and your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

********One lucky respondent will win the recently published text by Oxford University Press: Transparency: the key to better governance, edited by Christopher Hood & David Heald. Please leave your email address if you want to win this book ****

Access the questionnaire: http://www.survey.ljmu.ac.uk/foi/

Background to the research: here and here

I would also ask if anyone is willing to forward this message to any other practitioner networks I do not have access to

Thanks for your assistance in advance

Steve

Article in public finance magazine

Public domain – No value in secrecy, by Colin Talbot

The Gershon efficiency drive has probably saved billions of pounds. But the government’s reluctance to reveal just how this was done might undermine the programme’s other aim of regaining public trust......

In an effort to get at the truth, I put in a Freedom of Information request asking to see the Office of Government Commerce reports on the progress of the efficiency programme. No prizes for guessing that this was turned down on ‘public interest’ grounds.

Read the full article

Last chance for information audit course

Last chance to book on my final information audit course before I move on(Manchester 14th Feb.) Details here

The Guardian report on FOI Bill

Bill may allow MPs to escape FoI inquiries
David Hencke, Westminster correspondent
Thursday January 25, 2007
The Guardian

A bill to exempt MPs from inquiries made under the Freedom of Information Act was sneaked through the Commons last Friday without any debate. On the day Westminster was convulsed by the revelations surrounding the dawn arrest of Ruth Turner, the senior Downing Street aide, in the cash-for-honours investigation, MPs approved on the nod the second reading of a bill to exclude parliament from the Freedom of Information Act.

So that's where the €100 billion went

David Hencke
Monday January 22, 2007
Media Guardian

A freedom of information campaign by journalists across Europe has paid off in spectacular fashion

Over the next two years a ground-breaking decision by the council of ministers and the European Parliament will result in the biggest release of information held by governments to the public and the media since the creation of the European Union.

Scottish ICO: Commissioner welcomes Court ruling in landmark freedom of information case

Scottish Information Commissioner: News Release: 24 January 2007

The Scottish Information Commissioner today (24 January 2007) welcomed a landmark Court of Session ruling which upheld his decisions in relation to two appeals brought by the Scottish Executive under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).

The ruling concerned two separate decisions issued by the Commissioner, in which he found that the Executive had acted incorrectly in withholding specific information from release. One case involved documents concerning legislation passed over 15 years ago, part of which the Executive had still not carried into effect in Scotland. Sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990, if implemented, would allow professionals, other than advocates and solicitors, rights to conduct litigation on behalf of members of the public, as well as rights of audience in the courts.

In bringing its appeals to the Court, the Executive argued that the Commissioner had wrongly interpreted FOISA when considering the content of withheld documents on an individual basis. The Executive argued that certain types, or “classes”, of documents should automatically fall within the scope of particular FOISA exemptions.

Following its consideration of the case, the Court rejected the arguments put forward by the Executive. In reaching this conclusion, the Court described the “class” arguments put forward by the Executive as “ill-founded”, and concluded that the Commissioner’s methodology of considering the specific content of individual documents, and the potential impact of release, was correct and appropriate. A number of other criticisms made by the Executive were also rejected by the court. As a result, the Court refused both of the Executive’s appeals.

Kevin Dunion, the Scottish Information Commissioner, said:


“This is an important judgement in my favour. The Court has agreed that it was wrong of the Executive to conclude that it would be harmful to release information which it characterised as belonging to a class or type, e.g. advice to Ministers, without regard to the content of that information. I have consistently maintained this is not what Parliament intended and is not what the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act allows. In my view, the effect of the release of such information can only be gauged by considering the content. I am pleased that the judgement clearly supports my position.”

The Commissioner added:

“At the heart of these cases is whether the public is given access to information which allows them to understand why decisions have been arrived at. With regard to the Law Reform Act, I took the view that a democratic society is entitled to expect that legislation passed by its elected representatives in Parliament will be brought into force unless there are good reasons for not doing so, and citizens are entitled to know those reasons unless there is a greater public interest in keeping them secret.”

Ends

Freedom of Information Bill

Martin Stabe has some more information about the above including comments from David McLean MP who has put the Bill forward.

Two events for 2007 from the UCL Constitution Unit

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION POLICY SEMINAR SERIES

The Constitution Unit invite your organisation to subscribe to our discussion-intensive seminar series on government information policy issues, which we have run since 2001. The focus of the series is freedom of information and data protection, but other information rights topics, such as the re-use of public sector information, the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and records management are also addressed. Subscribers join us from all parts of the public sector as well as the private sector and academia.

The seminars are held at the Constitution Unit and usually take place on a Wednesday evening, starting at 6.15pm and finishing by 7.30pm. Each event involves a 20-25 minute presentation by the speaker, followed by 30-40 minutes of discussion. After the close of the seminar, participants and the speaker gather in an adjoining room for a glass of wine and buffet snacks to continue the discussion informally.

The series is CPD (Bar Council and Law Society) accredited; each seminar is accredited with 1 CPD hour.

This year’s programme of eight seminars and details on subscribing


FIFTH ANNUAL INFORMATION RIGHTS CONFERENCE FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR: FOI LIVE
2007 www.foilive.com

Thursday 24 May 2007
Victoria Park Plaza, London

Book by Friday, 23 February and receive a £50 discount!

The Constitution Unit, Department of Constitutional Affairs and Information Commissioner's Office invite you to attend the biggest FOI event of the calendar year: FOI Live 2007. Last year 375 delegates registered for the conference and feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive.

This year's programme offers talks by top government officials and information legislation experts from throughout the UK. Plenary and parallel-plenary sessions include sector-specific (central government, local government and wider public sector) as well as topic-specific talks and panel discussions. Throughout the day you will explore answers to the following questions (and many more!): How do you navigate the complexities of the various pieces of information-related legislation? What are the latest developments in information rights in practice? What is the latest policy guidance from the DCA and ICO? What can you learn from the experiences of others? Rounding out the day’s programme is a drinks reception during which delegates will be able to network and chat informally with the day’s speakers.

Places for the conference are limited so please book soon. For more information about the conference and to reserve your place, please visit www.foilive.com.

US Bloggers take on Congress

Taken from statesman.com:

WASHINGTON — A new online movement is trying to shed light on the murky inner workings of Congress by assigning citizens to watch every congressional committee.

The idea of making Congress more transparent is gaining traction in high places, including like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

John Wonderlich, aka greenreflex on the Daily Kos blog, is leading what he calls the Congressional Committees Project. The idea is simple: make Congress more accessible to the public by closely watching the committees where the legislative deals are made.

The Daily Kos blog was also featured on the BBC 4 programme "blog wars" last week

ICO: Liverpool Council ordered to release prostitution documents

The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has ordered Liverpool City Council to release documents relating to managed zones for prostitution in Liverpool under the Freedom of Information Act.

Although the council disclosed some information in response to a request it refused to release all documents on the grounds that it may inhibit the free and frank provision of advice and would be likely to prejudice commercial interests.


In his decision the Commissioner ruled that the Council had incorrectly applied the exemptions and failed to properly consider the public interest test.



The Commissioner concluded that the public interest in disclosing the information outweighed the public interest in withholding it. The Council now has 35 days to disclose the information to the complainant.

The Commissioner found the Council’s response to his enquiries was ‘seriously deficient’ throughout the course of his investigation. He has now referred the case to the ICO’s Good Practice and Enforcement team. In December Liverpool City Council was prosecuted and fined for failing to comply with an Information Notice served by the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act.

To read the Commissioner’s full decision notice on this case, please go to www.ico.gov.uk

Freedom of Information Bill progress

From Friday's Hansard:

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (AMENDMENT) BILL
Order for Second Reading read.

Bill read a Second Time, and committed to a Public Bill Committee, pursuant to Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of Bills).

US Sunshine Week 2007 March 11-17

The well established US Sunshine Week 2007 take places March 11-17, there is a website & blog available

Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know.

Sunshine Week is led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami.

Tribunal decision update

Recently published decisions:

The Corporate Officer of the House of Commons v Information Commissioner and Norman Baker MP (16 January 2007)
- appeals dismissed

Mr M Shipton v Information Commissioner (11 January 2007)
-appeal dismissed

Mr J Perrins v Information Commissioner (9 January 2007)
-appeal dismissed

Guardian Newspapers and Heather Brooke v Information Commissioner (08 January 2007)
-Appeal allowed, new decisions subsitututed

Mr E Alcock v Information Commissioner (03 January 2007)
-Appeal dismissed

Mr R Reed v Information Commissioner (29 December 2006)
-The Tribunal has decided to substitute the following Decision Notice in place of the Decision Notice dated 3rd March 2006. No action is required following the substituted Decision Notice.

China: New regulation approved to boost govt transparency

Taken from the Official Chinese Govt portal (via FOI in China blog)

A draft regulation on the release of government information has been approved in principle by the State Council, China's cabinet, to promote government transparency.

The regulation has prescriptions on the range of government information, release methods and procedure, and supervision. It will be promulgated by the State Council for implementation after further amendments.

The release of government information will focus on issues of utmost importance to the public to safeguard the public's right to know, according to information from the State Council on Wednesday.

The regulation is viewed as a move by the government to improve efficiency and prevent abuses of power.

Text to published shortly

Full text of Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill now published

As previously mentioned, full text was published today, 2nd reading takes places tomorrow (19th). Full text (PDF) (thanks to Peter for the alert)

"Blacked out" wins award

Congratulations to Al Roberts for winning the 2006 Louis Brownlow Book Award, the top literary prize in public administration literature for his book "Blacked Out: Government Secrecy in the Information Age" (Al is an Associate Professor of Public Administration at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs). You can read a review of "Blacked out" in the Open Government journal from last year.

Latest Irish Information Commissioner decisions

Case 010355 - AV Niche Ltd and the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform
"Request for access to records created by the Garda Síochána in relation to a tender competition where the Department was the contracting authority - whether the records created by the Garda Síochána are under the control of the Department - section 2(5)(a)"
-Having regard to the other factors, including ownership, physical possession and the Department's reliance on the records, the Commissioner concluded that the records were not under the control of the Department

Case 050129 - Mr. X and the Health Service Executive
"Request by parent for access to child's hospital records - whether release would best serve the interests of the child - section 28(6)"
-The Commissioner annulled the decision of the HSE and made a new decision to grant the request for access to the child's hospital records.

Case 050338 - Mr. X and the Department of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs
"Request to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for access to the report of an investigation into allegations made by the requester against the Chief Executive Officer of Waterways Ireland - whether such release could reasonably be expected to affect adversely matters relating to Northern Ireland - section 24(1)(d) - whether such release contained information communicated in confidence to any person in or outside the State from any person in or outside the Sate and relating to a matter relating to Northern Ireland and expressed by the latter person to be confidential or to be communicated in confidence - section 24(2)(d) - whether such release would amount to a breach of a duty of confidence - section 26(1)(b) - whether such release would involve the disclosure of personal information - section 28(1) - whether the public interest was better served by the release of any personal information rather than by it being withheld - section 28(5)(a) - whether such release could reasonably be expected to prejudice the effectiveness of tests, examinations, investigations, etc conducted by or on behalf of the Department or the procedures or methods employed for the conduct thereof - section 21(1)(a)."
-The Commissioner did not accept that section 24 applied to the report.

Freedom of Information Bill - 2nd reading

The following private members bill will have its 2nd reading in the HoC on the 19th January.

Freedom of Information (amendment)
David Maclean presented a Bill to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to exempt from its provisions the House of Commons and House of Lords and correspondence between Members of Parliament and public authorities: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 19 January, and to be printed. [Bill 39]

US FOIA: new blog

The new official blog of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the FOI advocate has been launched. Maintained by Charles Davis, Executive Director, National Freedom of Information Coalition. The NFOIC is a coalition of state groups dedicated to open government, headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism.

Some news.....

I'm leaving for pastures new to take up a new post as Assistant Commissioner/ Director of FOI Policy at the Information Commissioner's Office, this should happen around March (the ICO placed this notice on their site yesterday). I will announce what is happening to the blog in due course. Thanks to everyone who has helped the blog over the past few years.

Number of Govt websites drastically reduced

As part of the launch its progress report on ‘Transformational Government: enabled by technology’ the Cabinet Office has announced that the number of websites will be drastically reduced: "26 of the websites examined so far are certain to be retained by Government, while 551 will go. Information of continuing relevance from closed sites will transfer to www.direct.gov.uk [External website] and www.businesslink.gov.uk"

Read the annual report (see page 15)

MPs have asked a series of PQs about costs and numbers of visits to govt websites

-See Mark Oaten's PQ

OFT report finds public sector bodies cost the economy half a billion in hidden information markets

The Office of Fair Trading issued this report and press release back in December:

The OFT's market study into the commercial use of public information has found that more competition in public sector information could benefit the UK economy by around £1billion a year

.

Download Commercial use of public information (pdf 707 kb).

US FOIA: Web site aims to post government secrets

Taken from federaltimes.com

Forget parking garages. Tomorrow’s Deep Throats can go wiki.

A new Web site that aims to encourage large-scale leaking of confidential government documents by allowing anonymous disclosure could launch as early as next month.
Beneath a quotation from famed Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg, www.Wikileaks.org says it seeks to increase government transparency around the world by using “an uncensorable version of Wikipedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis.”

Founded by a group that includes technologists and Chinese dissidents, Wikileaks would promote democracy and prevent corruption, and is aimed primarily at oppressive foreign regimes, according to organizers. But the site says it also wants “to be of service to those in the West who wish to reveal unethical behavior in their own government and corporations.........”


.......But the initiative, sure to concern U.S. officials who want to restrict access to documents, may go too far even for government transparency advocates.
Wikileaks’ intention to allow anonymous publication of confidential records without oversight by an accountable editor could cause leaks that invade privacy or incite violence, Steven Aftergood, head of the Federation of American Scientists’ Project on Government Secrecy, wrote Jan. 3 in his online newsletter, Secrecy News.

Latest Tribunal decision - S42

IT Decision published in 20th Dec:

Between Mr Trevor Kitchener (Appellant) and The Information Commissioner (Respondent) and Derby City Council (Additional Party)

The tribunal upholds the decision notice dated 13th June 2006 and dismisses the appeal. The appeal related to the S42 exemption (legal professional privilege)

Media update

Roundup of FOI related news stories from over Xmas and New year

The Guardian - Lions, tigers and leopards kept as pets
"Twelve lions, 14 tigers and 50 leopards are among scores of big cats being kept in Britain by licensed private owners, it emerged today. According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, there are 154 assorted non-domestic cats privately owned as well as almost 500 monkeys, 2,000 ostriches, 250 poisonous snakes and 50 members of the crocodile family."

The Guardian - 'Summer of race riots' feared after clashes in 2001
"The disclosure that Britain stood on the edge of widespread riots involving disaffected Muslim youth in the summer of 2001 is made in Home Office papers disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act."

The Guardian - Public has right to know why BBC apologised after Hutton, Dyke says
"Speaking at a freedom of information tribunal, he said the BBC governors made the "embarrassing and unjustified" apology for the way in which it reported on the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. "It was a betrayal of what the BBC stood for," he said."

The Guardian - Osborne hits back at tax cut criticism
"The Conservatives faced embarrassment after figures published by Gordon Brown's department showed that tax cuts recommended by its policy group would benefit the most wealthy and lose the Treasury £8bn more in revenue than projected...The Conservatives used a Freedom of Information request to see the Treasury analysis, based on an October report from the Conservative tax reform commission."

Independent - What freedom of information?
"Labour's flagship freedom of information laws are being blocked by ministers who are increasingly refusing to answer routine inquiries about government policy, new figures show."

Belfast Telegraph - Viewpoint: Telegraph wins airport secrets battle
"Derry City Council's decision to drop its appeal against a Freedom of Information Act ruling, and fully disclose its financial dealings with Ryanair, marks an important victory for the Belfast Telegraph and the freedom of the Press."

The Times - the fear of strangers
"Yet it is only by posing questions to the Home Office under the Freedom of Information Act that our reporter Dominic Kennedy has revealed what is usually concealed. Specific data on random homicides is usually lumped into a wider, more general category. This is surprising. For without detailed information, it is hard to track shifts in behaviour."


Daily Telegraph blogs - Freedom to conceal Information
"Although you wouldn’t guess it from the documents released today, 1976 was the year of Harold Wilson’s Lavender List and the divorce of Princess Margaret from Lord Snowdon."

The Lawyer.com - Standard to attack govt on FOI exemptions
"The Freedom of Information Act will face its biggest test today, as the Government readies its appeal against the Evening Standard and the Information Commissioner. The two parties will do battle in the Information Tribunal, arguing over whether the Information Commissioner was right to allow a freedom of information request from Evening Standard education correspondent Dominic Hayes. The case concerns section 35 of the Act, which makes any information on the development of policy exempt from disclosure. Hayes asked for information on the minutes of meetings within the Department of Education and Schools concerning the schools funding crisis of 2003."

Public Servant Today - Does the Freedom of Information Act do what it was designed to?
"EXCLUSIVE: The Freedom of Information Act 2000: is it a golden opportunity for meddlers or a sign of genuine open government? In this article exclusive to Public Servant Daily, Simon Charlton, associate at law firm Weightmans, looks for an answer."

Doncaster Today - SCHOOLS FAIL ON KITCHEN HYGIENE
"MORE than 80 per cent of Doncaster schools breached basic food hygiene standards in a series of tests in the last year, the Free Press can reveal.
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that out of 101 food hygiene inspections made by Doncaster Council officers in 2005-06, contraventions were discovered in 69 out of the 84 schools inspected."

Ireland Online - Prison files destroyed ahead of Freedom of Information Act
"Prison authorities in the North destroyed 52,382 files in the months before
the Freedom of Information Act was introduced."

Portsmouth News - Hummingbird' silenced as police software flops
"FAILING software designed to ensure the public access to police information has been scrapped. Hampshire police agreed to buy the software produced by Hummingbird to help respond to Freedom of Information requests. It was hoped the £47,000 product would help staff get to information available under the Freedom of Information Act more easily – ensuring the public better access to information they have a right to know. But since the software was installed it has failed to work. Now the force is to get back the £33,000 it had already paid for the software."

Statute Law database

The Statute Law Databse was released to the public on 20 December 2006. http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/.

-DCA Press release

Read some of background about the SLD in these Guardian articles:

-At last, the price is right for access to our laws

-Access denied to the laws that govern us

With SLD you can:

- view amended legislation as it has changed over time
the green "A" icon will reveal the "attributes" of the legislation (e.g. start date, extent) and let you move between versions

- see how legislation will be affected by amendments not yet in force
the blue "P" icon indicates provisions, and versions of amended provisions, that have not yet been brought into force

- see how legislation has been amended for different jurisdictions
the yellow "C" icon denotes provisions that have "concurrent versions" (e.g. one for England and Wales and another for Scotland)

- navigate links between affecting and affected legislation
the purple arrow appears in affecting legislation against an amendment etc that has been applied and will take you to the affected legislation

- search the text of legislation for words and phrases
when you complete a text search, the red star icon will appear in the results list to show you which provisions match your search criteria

Standing before the Information Tribunal

Heather Brooke at YRTK gives some interesting insight into the Information Tribunal Process from the perspective of a first time appellant (relating her appeal of the BBC’s refusal to release the minutes of meetings held in the wake of the Hutton report).

HM Treasury disclosure

Taken from the HMT disclosure log:

Subject: Reduction of income tax by one per cent as announced in the 1999 Budget.
Date: 3 January 2007

Text of request:
For information relating to the reduction of income tax by one pence in the pound announced in the Budget in 1999.

Text for disclosure:
Relevant information is included in the attached file. Lead responsibility for income tax policy was with the Inland Revenue (now HM Revenue and Customs) at the time of this Budget. Hence information held by the Treasury is not extensive. In addition to this release the Treasury has withheld a small amount of information on which it is seeking a decision from the Information Tribunal.

PDF file of relevant information relating to the reduction of income tax by one pence in the pound announced in the Budget in 1999

New Blog - FOI in China

New blog: Research on Freedom of Information and Electronic government in China: Opinions and observations on FOI legislation and Electronic-government in China. Maintained by Ben Wei, lecturer at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.

Happy New Year to everyone - will resume postings shortly