Local government outsourcing faces freedom of information challenge

A key Liberal Democrat election manifesto pledgeis being put to the test: Should private firms be obliged to fall under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act when they work for the public sector?

The Scottish Government has already extended FoI to cover private suppliers and companies contracted under private finance initiative contracts.

The Cabinet Office's Transparency Board and local public data panel is now conducting a feasibility study, according to press reports, with the initiative being led by Nigel Shadbolt of Southampton University, who is leading the government's drive to open up its data, of doing the same south of the border.

The issue was raised at a recent meeting where the issue of Suffolk County Council, which announced in September its intention to outsource almost all public services, was raised. Members felt it necessary to say that no such outsourcing move can be used "as a means of avoiding scrutiny and limiting transparency"

Shadbolt's group jhas also published its recommendations for capturing data that could be lost when all closing 192 Quangos and government agencies shut down, recommending records of decisions should also be published, along with data relating to finances, performance, people and meetings.

In a written response to journalist enquiries, a Ministry of Justice has said that it is looking at the Freedom of Information Act 2000 "to see where we can further increase the openness and transparency of public affairs while ensuring that sensitive information is adequately protected".

At the last Tory Party conference Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude's said there would be a "right to data" which would require all FoI data to be released "in a reusable and machine readable format".

The coalition has a promise a "right to data" and the publication of government data sets is ongoing.