From the TES:
After the DfE turned down a recent FOI request from the TES relating to the Kings Science Academy, Maurice Frankel, director of the UK Campaign for Freedom of Information, told the paper: 'FOI has become very contentious in the Department for Education over the use of private email accounts and over the defensive use of exemptions to avoid disclosing names of bodies that have proposed free school... There are question marks over exactly how accurately they are applying the FOI rules.'
Showing posts with label freedom of information. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freedom of information. Show all posts
Monday, 10 February 2014
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Michael Gove vs FOI
From Laura Mcinerney who submitted the original FOI, writing in the Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/07/why-is-government-secretive-about-free-schools
"....rather than release it, Michael Gove, the education secretary, has told MPs he will do "everything possible" to stop me getting it. In the coming months, his department is taking the Information Commissioner – and me – to a tribunal in an attempt to block its release under the Freedom of Information Act."
What Michael Gove said: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Education/EdC181213.pdf
Q108 Pat Glass: Can I ask very quickly about the Information Commissioner? Why are you refusing to publish free school applications and acceptance and rejection letters in line with the ruling of the Information Commissioner? What do you have to hide? 29
Michael Gove: I have nothing to hide, but I believe that it is important that we protect those people who put forward applications that may have been rejected because we know that free school promoters and others have endured vilification and attacks. I do not think that people who made applications on the basis that those applications would be treated in confidence, and who may, if they have been unsuccessful, expose themselves to the risk of intimidation, should be exposed to that risk by my actions.
Q109 Pat Glass: You talked earlier about the need to conform to the law. Why does that not apply to you? The Information Commissioner has said you should publish these things.
Michael Gove: We are appealing.
Q110 Pat Glass: If the tribunal says you must publish them, will you then publish them?
Michael Gove: I will do everything possible to protect the confidentiality of those people, and I hope that we will prevail. If at the end of the process I have no option but to publish, then I will have no option but to publish.
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/07/why-is-government-secretive-about-free-schools
"....rather than release it, Michael Gove, the education secretary, has told MPs he will do "everything possible" to stop me getting it. In the coming months, his department is taking the Information Commissioner – and me – to a tribunal in an attempt to block its release under the Freedom of Information Act."
What Michael Gove said: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Education/EdC181213.pdf
Q108 Pat Glass: Can I ask very quickly about the Information Commissioner? Why are you refusing to publish free school applications and acceptance and rejection letters in line with the ruling of the Information Commissioner? What do you have to hide? 29
Michael Gove: I have nothing to hide, but I believe that it is important that we protect those people who put forward applications that may have been rejected because we know that free school promoters and others have endured vilification and attacks. I do not think that people who made applications on the basis that those applications would be treated in confidence, and who may, if they have been unsuccessful, expose themselves to the risk of intimidation, should be exposed to that risk by my actions.
Q109 Pat Glass: You talked earlier about the need to conform to the law. Why does that not apply to you? The Information Commissioner has said you should publish these things.
Michael Gove: We are appealing.
Q110 Pat Glass: If the tribunal says you must publish them, will you then publish them?
Michael Gove: I will do everything possible to protect the confidentiality of those people, and I hope that we will prevail. If at the end of the process I have no option but to publish, then I will have no option but to publish.
Thursday, 12 December 2013
CCTV in academy toilets and changing rooms?
http://www.yourthurrock.com/2013/11/25/spy-cameras-in-hassenbrook-academy-hailed-a-success/
"Last year, Big Brother Watch released the results of a Freedom of Information request. It revealed that Hassenbrook Academy was one of over 200 schools in the country that had cameras either in toilets and/or changing rooms."
Update and reaction: http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/10861968.Backlash_after_schools_installs_CCTV_in_pupils_toilets/
"Pupils and parents are said to be up in arms over Neil Houchen’s decision to put the cameras in boys’ and girls’ toilets at the Eastwood Academy."
And many more:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/cctv_in_bathrooms_and_changing_r
"Last year, Big Brother Watch released the results of a Freedom of Information request. It revealed that Hassenbrook Academy was one of over 200 schools in the country that had cameras either in toilets and/or changing rooms."
Update and reaction: http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/10861968.Backlash_after_schools_installs_CCTV_in_pupils_toilets/
"Pupils and parents are said to be up in arms over Neil Houchen’s decision to put the cameras in boys’ and girls’ toilets at the Eastwood Academy."
And many more:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/cctv_in_bathrooms_and_changing_r
Thursday, 7 November 2013
Free school costs forecasts not revealed
http://www.elmbridgeguardian.co.uk/news/10786418.Cobham_Free_School_costs_kept_under_wraps/?ref=nt
Elmbridge Guardian:
Some details of funding were supplied for Cobham Free School (Surrey) but the DFE told the Elmbridge Guardian: “It is sensible that complete and reliable figures should be released as planned, rather than disclosing figures before they have been finalised, which could be misleading.” It also said “premature disclosure” could be unfair to the school as it was still in negotiations with contractors over the unfinished building work on the former police station site.
Elmbridge Guardian:
Some details of funding were supplied for Cobham Free School (Surrey) but the DFE told the Elmbridge Guardian: “It is sensible that complete and reliable figures should be released as planned, rather than disclosing figures before they have been finalised, which could be misleading.” It also said “premature disclosure” could be unfair to the school as it was still in negotiations with contractors over the unfinished building work on the former police station site.
Monday, 28 October 2013
Reference: united learning trust does not disclose senior management pay in accounts
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20669621
Martin Rausenbaum, BBC FOI specialist, wrote in December 2012:
Earlier this year United Learning received an FOI request asking for details of the pay and employment packages for its chief executive and other senior management. When it did not supply the information, the requester complained to the Information Commissioner's Office.
United Learning told the Commissioner that its senior management were actually employed and paid by a charity, the United Church Schools Trust. This is a separate but linked charity which is not publicly funded and does not come under FOI.
In a decision released today the Commissioner upheld United Learning's stance that it did not hold the requested information on how much its chief executive and senior management are remunerated. The Commissioner was told that they were not paid out of public funds.
I had hoped to ask United Learning to explain this unusual state of affairs, but the organisation's spokesman told me: "United Learning Trust has no view to express on the case".
Martin Rausenbaum, BBC FOI specialist, wrote in December 2012:
Earlier this year United Learning received an FOI request asking for details of the pay and employment packages for its chief executive and other senior management. When it did not supply the information, the requester complained to the Information Commissioner's Office.
United Learning told the Commissioner that its senior management were actually employed and paid by a charity, the United Church Schools Trust. This is a separate but linked charity which is not publicly funded and does not come under FOI.
In a decision released today the Commissioner upheld United Learning's stance that it did not hold the requested information on how much its chief executive and senior management are remunerated. The Commissioner was told that they were not paid out of public funds.
I had hoped to ask United Learning to explain this unusual state of affairs, but the organisation's spokesman told me: "United Learning Trust has no view to express on the case".
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