May/June 2026
News items: FOI and EIRs developments in April 2026: key cases and regulatory trends AI driving more complex FOI requests? Controversy surrounding FOI costs limit reduction Articles: Expert comment, by Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland What does it mean to ‘hold’ information? The Upper Tribunal clarifies, by Simon Ridding, 33 Bedford Row Chambers Back to basics […]
March/April 2026
News items: Holyrood wrestles with FOI reform as proposed Bill struggles to gain traction Reform councillors challenged over interpretation of council spending data obtained via FOI Articles: Expert comment – Liz Fitsimons, Eversheds Sutherland Super charge your section 40 responses! – Vicki Bowles, Bevan Brittan LLP Success in the North? An appraisal of Scotland’s FOISA […]
January / February 2026
News items: Pressure grows on Home Office to publish asylum seeker death data proactively Scottish government launches consultation on extending FOI rights to care providers Articles: Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland A 2026 FOI forecast – Vicki Bowles, Bevan Brittan LLP ICO Decision Notices Snapshot — December 2025 – PDP Recent decisions of […]
November/December 2025
News items: Isle of Man review declines to broaden FOI coverage US lawsuit launched seeking access to federal government’s AI use Articles: Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland FOISA at 20: what’s next for Scottish access to information? – Paul Mutch, Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner Artificial Intelligence and FOI: A flood or […]
September/October 2025
News items: Bristol City Council’s FOI backlog appeal rejected HMRC ordered to disclose AI use in R&D tax credit decisions NHS Fife’s FOI compliance under scrutiny amidst Peggie Tribunal Articles: Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland Hidden data in documents — what are the risks and solutions? – Vicki Bowles, Bevan Brittan ICO Decision […]
July/August 2025
News items: Freedom of Information reveals gaps in government device security Bill to “fix” Scotland’s FOI regime wins broad support Data Use and Access Act receives Royal Assent Articles: Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland Section 22 (the future publication exemption) — a helpful decision notice – Rowan Clapp Cornerstone Barristers Has FOIA actually […]
May/June 2025
News items: CMA faces scrutiny over handling of journalists’ information requests Financial Conduct Authority’s email deletion policy sparks accountability concerns Articles: Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland The requirement for transparency and disclosure logs – Vicki Bowles, Bevan Brittan LLP Recent decisions of the Commissioner and Tribunals – Jeremy Ogilvie-Harris, Cornerstone Barristers
March/April 2025
News items: FOI used to show how government profits from divorce fees Trump administration terminates FOI officials at agency overseeing government hires Two significant FOI cases now being heard Articles: Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland Applying section 40 — when will disclosure breach the first data protection principle? – Vicki Bowles, Bevan Brittan […]
January/February 2025
News Items Three police bodies involved in latest spate of FOI enforcement activity Water companies asked to publish sewage discharge data ICO issues advice to local authorities facing financial restrictions Articles Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland FOI and EIRs – an end of 2024 review – Vicki Bowles, Bevan Brittan LLP AI and […]
November/December 2024
News Items Do better with resources, Commissioner tells Ministry of Defense Water company repeatedly fails to correctly classify requests ICO issues enforcement notice over FOI failures at Surrey Police Health information requests deemed ‘vexatious’ Articles Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland Freedom of Information and the new procurement requirements – Vicki Bowles, Bevan Brittan […]
September/October 2024
News Items ICO releases interim report on its FOI Upstream approach New report from consensual audits Latest enforcement notices Water companies must be more transparent, says ICO Articles Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland Protecting the interests of individuals supplying information under the EIRs – what do the latest ICO decision notices tell us? […]
July/August 2024
News Items Landmark case scrutinising use of AI under FOIA Major political parties silent on FOI before and after General Election Attempt to withhold information about neighbourhood scheme fails on public interest Board’s failure to engage with complainant significant factor in request not meeting vexatiousness threshold Articles Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland The […]
May/June 2024
News Items Contempt of court referrals will be made, says FOI Director Regulator asks for feedback on FOI resources Latest figures show UK government hits record low for FOI Cambridgeshire County Council ordered to release names after active travel FOI appeal Articles Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherland FOIA or EIRs – when and […]
March/April 2024
News Items “Leaders must take transparency seriously” – Commissioner ICO acts against five public authorities ICO updates guidance on Records Management Code of Practice Sweden’s FOI laws put citizens in danger, say experts Articles Expert Comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherlands Recent decisions of the Commissioner and Tribunals – Verity Bell, Cornerstone Barristers 3 FOI […]
January/February 2024
News Items ICO demands urgent action from police body with huge FOI backlog Court of Appeal rules against Commissioner in FOI case New FOI in 90 seconds guide ICO updates FOIA and EIRs guideance Articles Expert Comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherlands How to successfully apply Section 12 – Vicki Bowles, VWV Recent decisions of the […]
November/December 2023
News Items Cease using excel spreadsheets in FOI responses, instructs ICO ICO issues Enforcement Notice to City of York Council over FOI backlog ICO notes ‘paucity’ of Department’s arguments on balance of public interest Commissioner agrees with TfL that requests are manifestly unreasonable Articles Expert Comment – Liz Fitzsimons, Eversheds Sutherlands Vexatious requests and the […]
September/October 2023
News Items ICO publishes results of FOI listening exercise Latest enforcement activity MoJ tracking journalists making FOI requests SIC asked to launch investigation into WhatsApp use Guidance on sections 21 and 42 updated Articles Expert comment – Liz Fitzsimmons, Eversheds Sutherland Lessons learned from recent ICO enforcement action – Vicki Bowles, VWV The requester and […]
July/August 2023
News Items ICO takes further enforcement action Commissioner warns against ‘unnecessary’ government FOI exemptions Prime Minister accused of ‘culture of concealment’ Councils reprimanded for delays in responding to information requests FOI data breaches prompt invesitgation into Cabinet Office in Isle of Man More than 480 FOI requests made to Cork’s two local authorities Articles Expert […]
May/June 2023
News Items ICO launches FOI toolkit topic to help with vexatious requests Council told to clear backlog ICO will begin prioritising certain FOI complaints Ministers given new guidance on WhatsApp use Petition to protect rights to environmental information Government publishes £248m missing Covid contracts Articles Appeals and becoming a party to appeals — what to […]
March/April 2023
News Items Internal consultations on FOI requests — new guidance ICO releases suite of FOI resources ICO publishes new analysis of publication schemes Big Brother Watch compiles report based on FOI disclosures ICO investigated Cabinet Office over blocked Spycatcher documents Analysis of meetings between ministers and lobbyists Articles Why narrowing the scope of personal data […]
January/February 2023
News Items ICO to change the way it prioritises FOI complaints Government launches consultation into widening scope of FOI laws Council’s handling of FOI request ‘inappropriate’, according to self-commissioned report Public authority to disclose details of deals worth £1bn Campaign urges peers to amend National Security Bill New report on freedom of expression and Online […]
November/December 2022
News Items FCA brings in paralegals to tackle FOI backlog FOI reveals lobbying by BA owner to hide emissions data Caymans: FOI requests pick up after lockdown decline Articles Let’s talk Records Management: Developing a Records Management Programme – John Wilson Section 42 — Legal Professional Privilege – Vicki Bowles, VWV Recent decisions of the […]
September/October 2022
News Items Cabinet Office rejects recommendations to improve transparency of its FOI handling New transparency law proposed in Scotland Reading Council delays with FOI requests Articles Let’s talk Records Management: who is responsible? – John Wilson Section 36(2) (c): the ‘catch-all’ provision for FOI requests? – Vicki Bowles, VWV Recent decisions of the Information Commissioner […]
July/August 2022
News Items Director’s update points to more supportive approach FOI is elbowed off the page, says campaign group MP pursues proper scrutiny of Cabinet Office FOI hub Articles Let’s talk Records Management: retention and disposal – John Wilson Section 43 — application of the commercial interests exemption – Vicki Bowles, VWV Recent decisions of the […]