At an event on the evening of 26 November, to celebrate (slightly early) the ten year anniversary of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) the Minister of State for Justice and Civil Liberties, Simon Hughes, appeared to offer to take on part of the Information Commissioner’s regulatory role.
The event, hosted at the RSA by the Commissioner himself, brought together a panel of FOIA luminaries consisting of Deputy Information Commissioner Graham Smith, the BBC’s Martin Rosenbaum, Scottish Information Commissioner Rosemary Agnew and Hughes himself. In response to a question from the floor about the considerable delays and obstructiveness by certain public authorities in dealing with FOIA requests, Hughes invited people to send him examples, so that he could start to compile data on compliance (of the sort already being compiled by Agnew’s office).
Astute eyebrows at the event (and possibly on the panel) were raised: dealing with miscreant public authorities is a role clearly assigned to the Information Commissioner. For the Minister to invite complaints seems to be to risk usurping that role. One wonders if he knows what he’s let himself in for.
informationrightsandwrongs 
If anyone wants data on compliance, there is nothing to stop the Information Commissioner from including FOI data requirements in a revised version of the publication scheme. Nothing at all….
That is a very good point.
what a lazy mp what about the road works around bramcote grove they go on forever and the parking when millwall are at home I tthink you are lazy you just want to be in the stoplight
Simon Hughes has failed his duty of care by allowing the ICO to operate in a legal void for the past 18 months. In particular , there is evidence of Mission Creep at the ICO/FTT/UT.
Vexatious decisions are being handed out in whim on the back of the Dransfield Case GIA/3037/2011.
By mission creep, presumably you mean ‘decision that I don’t agree with’?
Didn’t expect a Bullshitter like you to know the definition of Mission Creep. Do a google
Not all. an unlawful decision