Information rights go centre stage
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office has published the annual report for the year 2009/10. The report titled: Information Commissioner’s Annual Report 2009/10 - Upholding information rights in a changing environment (47 pages, HC220) is accompanied by a summary report titled: Information Commissioner’s Annual Report Summary 2009/10 - Upholding information rights in a changing environment (27 pages).
The ICO press release states:
“With a new ICO mission statement and increased regulatory powers, Mr Graham uses his annual report to call for the Information Commissioner to report directly to Parliament, as in the case of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, to increase transparency around the reporting and financing arrangements of the ICO.
Christopher Graham, Information Commissioner, says: “I believe that the ICO has not just to be independent of government, but be seen to be independent. To carry out my duties effectively and with the full confidence of all parties, now is the time to formalise the governance arrangements for the Information Commissioner, suitable for an independent public official whose accountability is fully to Parliament, rather than primarily via Departments of State.””
The states on page 32 that ICO issued 628 decision notices under the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations and highlights a number of examples that included:
“Public authorities: Maldon District Council, Castle Point Borough Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council
The ICO ruled under the Environmental Information Regulations that councils should not be allowed to charge a fee based on property search regulations in relation to a request to inspect building control information.”
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