DCLG rapped over information delays

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) carried out an audit of complaints concerning the Department’s practices and identified a significant backlog of internal reviews.

The ICO has issued a formal practice recommendation in response to the Department's failure to respond to internal reviews in accordance with the Commissioner’s published guidance.

Public authorities must respond to requests for internal reviews within 20 working days, or 40 days in exceptional circumstances.

Some of the reviews requested remained outstanding over 400 working days later. ICO says some delays continued after the ICO had drawn the Department’s attention to guidance specifically relating to this matter.

"The Commissioner (Richard Thomas) is concerned that information management within the CLG, particularly in relation to FoI requests, may not be adequately resourced or given appropriate priority," said the ICO report.

"He has advised that the CLG, as with all authorities, must ensure appropriate expertise and resources are in place to comply with the Act and conform to the associated Codes of Practice.

The CIO says that Mr Thomas "recognises that the CLG is taking steps" to address the backlog of internal reviews.

But it went on: "However, he considers that, prior to the drafting of the practice recommendation, the Department failed to demonstrate an appropriate level of commitment to improvement and failed to offer acceptable explanations for performance issues."

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