Since the full introduction of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”) in 2005, getting access to publicly recorded data has never been easier. With requests from the general public, potential litigators and the media, public authorities and their contractors are under pressure to respond. We can advise on these often commercially or politically sensitive requests, ensuring your members and officers stay within the law, and assist you in handling any investigations by the Information Commissioner's Office.
Advising a public authority client who received a request for the disclosure of documentation under FOIA from a journalist at a national newspaper. There were concerns over the disclosure of minutes from a board meeting where a sensitive issue was discussed. We advised on the application of two complicated statutory exemptions from disclosure and provided the client with a letter for onward transmission to the journalist setting out the reasons for not disclosing the board meeting minutes.
Advising a client who received a request for the disclosure of contents of a confidential report from a leading sector publication. The request was refused by our client and referred to the Information Commissioner. We advised our client as to ways in which it could strengthen its position by relying on additional exemptions and providing further analysis. We drafted a robust response to the Information Commissioner who accepted our arguments in relation to one of the exemptions and upheld our client’s refusal to disclose the report.
Instructing Counsel to appear for a client at the Upper Tribunal following a request for information on the legal advice obtained by our client from another public sector body. The requestor was relying upon the EIR, was not represented and did not attend the appeal hearing. We worked with the Information Commissioner’s Office to ensure the Upper Tribunal had all relevant material before it when considering the appeal which was subsequently dismissed.
In this article we look at local authority companies and whether they are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. And for those that are, what information are they legally obliged to submit.
The use of social media platforms and applications can have overwhelmingly positive benefits for public bodies. However, regulatory action recently taken by the Information Commissioner, has highlighted various pitfalls that public bodies should seek to avoid if allowing staff to use social media as a communication tool.
The data protection legislation (namely, the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018) contain various provisions that deal with the processing of personal data for research purposes.
In February 2021, the High Court handed down judgment London Borough of Lambeth v AM (No. 2) [2021] EWHC 186 (QB), in which Browne Jacobson LLP acted for the Claimant Council. The judgment is critical reading for public bodies who are required to take action to restrict the use of confidential information in circumstances where that information has been inadvertently disclosed to a third-party.
This judgment is critical reading for public bodies who need to take action to restrain the use of confidential information in circumstances where that information has been inadvertently disclosed to a third party.
We talk about the key legal principles that apply when processing requests for access to confidential information and gave some practical tips on how to deal with issues that might arise when Trusts are dealing with complex information requests.
This year, schools are required to assess the grades students would have been likely to have achieved in their GCSE, AS and A level exams. As not all schools are fully open, we have set out guidance on both Freedom of Information, and Subject Access Requests in case you receive either or both types of requests over the next few months.
One of Browne Jacobson's advisors fills us in where she recently came across a situation that reminded me of the importance of procurement and freedom of information (FOI) officers in an organisation working together.
During this short webinar our experts will deconstruct the most typically occurring contractual disputes.
This month includes freedom of information, housing regeneration, Alexander Kuznetsov and London Borough of Camden, EU regulation standard form public procurement notices, expert evidence, child care and immigration, conflicts of interest, information law update, and environmental law.
Ros takes a look at liability and risk arising from data protection legislation and the Freedom of Information Act.
Responding to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’) may be both time consuming and costly for public authorities to manage.
