Press release: 3 October 2012

Welcome for Labour's promise to extend FOI to contractors

The Campaign for Freedom of Information has welcomed Labour's commitment to extend the Freedom of Information Act to private companies delivering public services.

It said: "As contracting out of public services expands, the public's right to know shrinks. The Act only applies to information which a public authority holds about a contract or which it can compel a contractor to supply to it - which may be very little. And there's no point complaining to the Information Commissioner about a contractor who behaves obstructively. The Commissioner has no jurisdiction over contractors at all. Labour's commitment to address these issues is very welcome."

Notes

In a speech at the Labour Party conference on Wednesday 3 October, the Shadow Justice Secretary, Sadiq Khan, said: "And it's also time to address a blind spot in our Freedom of Information laws. I'm proud Labour introduced FoI, however awkward it can be. Not only will the next Labour Government protect FoI, but we will seek to extend it. For the first time, FoI will cover the delivery of public services by private companies. This includes our prisons, our schools and our health service. Public private or voluntary, subjected to the same disinfecting transparency of FoI." http://www.labour.org.uk/sadiq-khans-speech-to-labour-party-annual-conference-2012,2012-10-03

Further information

Maurice Frankel 0207 831 7477 or

Katherine Gundersen 0207 831 7477