A month ago I pointed out some rather concerning failings by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in its own compliance with Freedom of Information (FOI) law. At the time, the ICO press office told me
We acknowledge that we have fallen short of expectations in these instances but can confirm that the responses to both requests will be issued soon
It’s with some incredulity, therefore, that I see that one of the requests has still not been responded to, despite a further twenty working days having elapsed, and despite the (even greater) incredulity of the requester:
You have missed your own deadline, months after you should have answered this request. Your inability to answer a simple FOI promptly would be a disgrace if you were a local council. The fact that you are the FOI regulator makes your handling of my request a scandal.
I am utterly powerless here – I cannot complain to the regulator about your contempt for FOI because you are supposed to be the organisation I would complain to. Do you have no shame at all? No self respect?
What am I supposed to do now?
The other request I highlighted at the time has had a response, albeit one that was cursory, to say the best, and which is now the subject of a request for internal review.
My own request for the ICO’s compliance figures is now the subject of a formal complaint (with a request for a decision notice under section 50 of the FOI Act), although I am told that there will be, er, a delay in getting to it.
The views in this post (and indeed all posts on this blog) are my personal ones, and do not represent the views of any organisation I am involved with.
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