New push to strengthen FOI appeal rules

New push to strengthen FOI appeal rules

10 minutes ago

Julia Gregory

South West

Appeal rulings issued after Freedom of Information requests are rejected could become legally binding.

The scrutiny management committee has asked for changes to the law which would mean decisions by the appeals panel would be legally binding.

Committee president Deputy Andy Sloan said the appeal panel process, which was introduced in 2022, was "only meaningful if its decisions can be enforced".

Sloan said: "Our objective has always been to address that weakness without creating an unnecessarily complex or bureaucratic system."

Before the changes could become law two areas of the code concerning the public-interest test and exemptions needed to be clarified by the policy and resources committee which has responsbility for the FOI code, he said.

Sloan saidFreedom of Information, which was introduced in Guernsey in 2013, was "an important part of public accountability".

He said: "Ultimately, this is about ensuring the public has confidence in the Freedom of Information process.

"An independent appeals mechanism must be more than advisory to provide meaningful accountability."

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