I was struck recently by an example of just how much Freedom of Information [FoI] has become a lever for extracting information from public bodies. Often this information should already be published and in the public domain [like equal pay audits] but isn't. A recent case which caught my eye was the BBC having to provide data on the size of its gender pay gap [10% as it happens] as a result of an FoI request.
I thought I'd dig a bit deeper and checked out the web site of the Scottish Information Commissioner. Here you can find an analysis of what FoI cases the Commissioner has been asked to get involved in, which public body is playing coy with revealing information, and what happened. It is very helpfully laid out in a spreadsheet to you can look at the core data from any number of angles and conduct your own analysis.
From 2004 to end-March 2011, the Commissioner has dealt with 2,896 cases. Of these, 439 [15%] involved Scottish Ministers/Government. 1,235 [or 42%] were about Scotland's Councils and 177 [6%] were about Scotland's Health Boards. Where cases were investigated and closed with a decision from the Commissioner, the outcomes were :
Where it was Scottish Ministers/Government, out of 241 such cases, 177 [73%] were wholly or partially for the applicant.
Where it was local government, out of 515 such cases, 303 [58%] were awarded, wholly or partially, by the Commissioner to the applicant.
In the NHS, there were 58 such cases, and of these 39 [67%] were awarded, wholly or partially, by the Commissioner in favour of the applicant.
Scottish government appears to be playing fast and loose with information they hold and use on our behalf, and appear not to trust us with that information.
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