Upcoming Events :
Housing Seminar: Partnerships with the Public Sector – Avoiding the pitfalls
Thu 31 May 2012
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB
UK 'has a culture of secrecy'
Mon 19 Apr 2010
A freedom of information campaigner has criticised the culture of secrecy that exists in the UK.
According to investigative journalist Heather Brooke, who helped to uncover the abuse of parliamentary expenses by MPs, authorities are "paranoid" about the public knowing anything.
Speaking to the Guardian, she described this as a very odd trait, as even relatively "innocuous things" are kept under wraps.
Ms Brooke compared the level of state control in Britain with that in China and Iran, saying it is not as different as people in the UK would like to think.
However, she stated that the public attitude towards freedom of information in the UK is changing, partly because people know a lot more about the systems that are in place in other countries.
In addition, Ms Brooke noted that consumers now expect to be told the reasons why certain decisions have been made.
The journalist added that the internet is also fuelling changes in the freedom of information, as people can mobilise online and become an effective lobbying group.
Ms Brooke was recently handed an honour at the Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards in recognition of her investigation into parliamentary expenses.
Richard Tinham, a partner at Winckworth Sherwood Solicitors, said: "It may come as a surprise to some that many public authorities are in favour of the transparency and accountability associated with freedom of information.
"Public authorities must, though, have regard at all times to the achievement of their objectives in an economic, efficient and effective manner, their commercial interests (as well as the commercial interests of those they deal with) and the rights of individuals under the Data Protection Act, to name but a few.
"With all these competing interests, it can be difficult for a public authority to justify the diversion of resources away from core activities solely to respond to what is often the interest of a single curious individual."
