HL Deb 10 February 2005 vol 669 cc131-3WA
The Earl of Northesk

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many requests for information were made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the first month of its operation; and, of that total, how many resulted in the requested information being withheld [HL1121]

Baroness Ashton of Upholland

Government departments collect information on those freedom of information requests (Fol) which are referred to their central practitioners for consideration. Departments are required to monitor such requests and provide details of how they have been dealt with, including whether they were answered in full or refused either in whole or in part, to my department on a quarterly basis. My department will publish its first report on these statistics in late spring 2005.

Because of the general public interest in the volume of Fol requests, my department has undertaken ad hoc surveys of departments on the volume of requests received. A survey carried out on 2 February revealed that a total of 4,532 requests for information had been referred to practitioners within central government departments.

That survey did not ask for information on the numbers of requests refused. However, the FoI practitioner within my Department for Constitutional Affairs received 155 requests to 1 February. Of those that had been answered by 1 February, nine requests were refused either in whole or in part.

The Earl of Northesk

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many responses to requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the first month of its operation breached the deadline for response of 20 days. [HL1122]

Baroness Ashton of Upholland

Government departments collect information on those freedom of information (FOI) requests which are referred to their central practitioners for consideration. Departments are required to monitor such requests and provide details of how they have been dealt with, including whether the 20 working day deadline has been breached, to my department on a quarterly basis. The DCA will publish its first report on these statistics in late spring 2005.

Because of the general public interest in the volume of FOI requests, my department has undertaken ad hoc surveys of departments on the volume of requests received. A survey carried out on 2 February revealed that a total of 4,532 requests for information had been referred to practitioners within central government departments.

Although that survey did not specifically ask departments for the number of requests where the 20 working day deadline was breached, the great majority of departments confirmed that they would meet the 20 day deadline in the vast majority of cases. None of the requests referred to the FOI practitioner within the Department for Constitutional Affairs and due for answer by 1 February breached the 20 working day deadline, although in one case the deadline was extended to further consider the public interest.

Lord Greaves

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether correspondence between councillors and council officials is subject to release under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and under what circumstances; and, if so, whether this includes correspondence about the personal circumstances of members of the public on whose behalf a councillor is making enquiries, or correspondence that might be politically sensitive in relation to policy development by one political group, or in other ways. [HL1144]

Baroness Ashton of Upholland

All information held by public authorities is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and must be released unless an exemption applies. In the case of local government, this includes correspondence between councillors and council officials. Requests for information must be treated on a case by case basis.

In general, information about individuals that falls within the meaning of "personal data" in the Data Protection Act 1998 is protected by the absolute exemption at Section 40 of the FOI Act. There is no specific exemption which applies to information which is politically sensitive. However the exemption under Section 36 of the FOI Act provides protection for information which. if released, would prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs.