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Right to know under attack.(Freedom of Information Act )
Byline: Heather Brooke
Right to know under attack
Just as researchers are beginning to use the Freedom of Information Act for serious investigative research, the government has announced changes that will block all but silliest and simplest requests.
Under the changes, proposed by the Lord Chancellor, lawyers, academics, campaigners, businesses and journalists would be grouped according to their "legal body". Each legal body would be restricted to asking a limited number of questions within a two-month period.
The proposals would also make it much easier for public bodies to refuse information requests on cost grounds.
"If introduced, these changes would have major implications for researchers using the Act and would probably serve as a disincentive to use," said Steve Wood, senior lecturer in information management at Liverpool John Moores University.
The new aggregating powers will mean that once one university academic has made a request that uses up the cost allowance, all other academics from the same university could be refused access for the next two months.
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Source: HighBeam Research, Right to know under attack.(Freedom of Information Act )