ACPO to be subject to FOI

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) could be one of four new organisations that will be subject to freedom of information requests following a review by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

ACPO, alongside UCAS, the financial ombudsman service and academy schools, will now be assessed by government and, following consultation, may be included in the extension of freedom of information requests.

Early on in the consultation period ACPO volunteered itself to be included in the extension of section 5 of the Freedom of Information Act.

In its response to the original consultation Freedom of Information Act 2000: Designation of additional public authorities, the MoJ concluded that ACPO would be included in further consultation because of “the very high level of public interest in the development of the police service”.

On October 25, 2007, the MoJ published the original consultation, only publishing their response today (July 16).The Conservative Party, however, has expressed disappointment in the decision saying the limited extension will result in “unacceptable secrecy”

Shadow Justice Minister, Eleanor Laing, said:

“This Government has revealed their total contempt for greater transparency by only considering to extend the Freedom of Information Act to just four new bodies.

“Hard-pressed taxpayers are pouring money into our nationalised banks and unaccountable quangos, such as regional assemblies, yet these will remain clouded in unacceptable secrecy.”