No major legislative changes to FOI Act needed, review concludes

The Burns Commission, which has been evaluating whether changes are needed to the Freedom of Information Act, says that FOI should remain free of charge, and that the veto provision should be narrower and more limited.

Information Commissioner Christopher Graham said: “We welcome the Commission's conclusion 'that the Act is generally working well, and that it has been one of a number of measures that have helped to change the culture of the public sector."

“While it appears that there is much to welcome in the 64-page report, we now need to study the 21 recommendations in detail."

“We welcome the fact that the Commission has adopted some of the ideas put forward by the Information Commissioner in evidence, particularly his call to also consider improvements to the Act - such as clarifying the extension to the time limit, and also the Commission's call for strengthened powers and better resourcing for the ICO.”

See the Burns Commission report, published on 1 March, at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35693236