As part of our 'Openness by design' strategy, we aim to ensure that access to information rights is upheld in a consistent and timely manner and operate effectively in a digital age. One of our strategic priorities is to increase FOIA and EIR compliance through targeting non-compliance and taking enforcement action consistent with the approaches set out in our Regulatory Action Policy.
The previous monitoring work referred to below will no longer be undertaken in that particular form. However, we use intelligence gathered from individual cases, and the external environment, to inform our work in this area and to explore with public authorities whether there are systemic problems which may need addressing.
Information requests
We intend to target our monitoring activity towards those authorities which repeatedly or seriously fail to respond to freedom of information requests within the appropriate timescales.
Monitoring may be a precursor to further action if an authority is unable to demonstrate an improvement within a specified timescale.
We monitor public authorities over a three month period. We will then consider whether further action is appropriate. The next list of the authorities we intend to monitor will be publically available once these considerations are complete.
- Authorities monitored from 1 July to 30 September 2017
- Authorities monitored from 1 January to 31 March 2017
- Authorities monitored from 1 September to 30 November 2016
- Authorities monitored from 1 May to 31 July 2016
- Authorities monitored from 1 September to 30 November 2015
- Authorities monitored from 1 February - 30 April 2015
- Authorities monitored from 1 September - 30 November 2014
- Authorities monitored from 1 May - 31 July 2014 2014
- Authorities monitored from 1 January to 31 March 2014
- Authorities monitored from 1 July to 30 September 2013
- Authorities monitored from 1 April to 30 June 2013
- Authorities monitored from 1 January to 31 March 2013
- Authorities monitored from 1 April to 30 June 2011
- Authorities monitored from 1 October to 31 December 2010
Publication scheme and guide to information
We will also monitor public authorities in relation to the development and maintenance of their publication scheme.
The ICO has introduced a model publication scheme that all public sector organisations should have adopted from 1 January 2009. Authorities must produce a guide to the specific information they hold and which is contained within any of the scheme’s seven classes. We expect authorities to ensure that the information can be easily identified and accessed by the general public. Authorities should review and update their information guide and its contents regularly.
Our monitoring reports
The Central Government sector monitoring report sets out our findings for those authorities we monitored in the Central Government sector.
The police sector monitoring report sets out our findings for those authorities we monitored in the Police sector. The police sector monitoring: follow up report looks at developments since we published the main report.