Making the Demand Side of Freedom of Information Work

In the United Kingdom, the passage of the Freedom of Information was a long and slow process.  

Maurice Frankel of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, UK, shares his experience in working on the United Kingdom’s campaign for FOI since it was set up in 1984. Prior to the FOI Law, a statutory code had been in place that worked like an FOI. It was so close to an FOI act that officials were convinced that the FOI will not cause any problem. The FOI in the United Kingdom continues to face challenges. Members of Parliaments have tried, unsuccessfully, to exempt themselves from the FOI. The speaker’s presentation includes personal experiences of how government bodies responded to information requests before FOI and after FOI legislation.