Law - 17 November

Freedom of Inofrmation requests and Invesitgative journalism was on our agenda this week. Julie Cordier recently had a very fruitful FOI request. We had an exclusive on WINOL. This was about the fact that some officers on the police force have criminal records. She was able to find this out from an FOI request she sent asking a very direct question.

Anybody is able to make an FOI request to any public authority. Only the UK security and intelligence agencies are exempt from having to give information through an FOI request. Every other company has to give you information. When filling out a request you have to be very specific otherwise they can refuse and will ask you to narrow your search. This could go on for months. The authority has 20 days to get the information to you or has to send you a reason as to why they can not get it to you within the 20 days. Your search not being specific enough would qualify as to why they can not send it to you within the 20 days; maybe there is too much. An FOI request is also free unless getting the information costs more than £600. Or if it is more than £450 for local councils.

The following website give guidelines on this act as well as amendments when they happen. With law amendments can be made and rules changed so as journalists we need to keep up to date with the new or changed rules regarding FOI requests and other media acts and laws. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/introduction

Photo By: Auntie P

FOI Requests Make Front Page News

Yet again I read The Sun yesterday and felt a little guilty for finding some articles actually quite interesting. News is news after all isn't it? Well just like my last post I found this article interesting because the way in which they gained their knowledge. This was again, through a Freedom of Information Request.

The Sun wanted to know about 'primary school mums'. They requested information and they received astonishing figures of how many girls get pregnant every year and their ages. The article said that there are 23 girls under 15 expecting children every day. It also said that 15 girls that are aged 10 have given birth over the last 7 years. These figures are massive and are not ending.

This news was not over the front page, it was given a small corner but the front page is best no matter how small right? This started to make me think. The Sun has written two very interesting articles about society and both times have gained their knowledge from Freedom of Information Requests.

I have now decided that I want to submit my own request. The direct.gov website tells you how to apply for the requests, who you can apply to, what you should and should not write and all the details that go along with the act that you need to consider. All I have to do now is to think of what I would like to request and write the letter. I will, ofcourse keep you posted on my blog of the question I choose to send and the company I choose to send it to. If anyone has any ideas please let me know as it's taking me a while to think of a good question. I will then hopefully have information to write an article on.

Well, good luck to me and I'll keep you guys posted.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Yourrightsandresponsibilities/DG_4003239