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UK accused of ditching freedom of information requests

Wednesday, 17 June 2015 11:52 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 17 June 2015 3:15 PM ]

File image of 10 Downing Street, the official residence and the office of the British Prime Minister.

The British government has been accused of breaching Freedom of Information Act by enforcing a system that automatically deletes emails sent from Downing Street.

Transparency activists say the system has been implemented to prevent information from being released to the public through freedom of information requests.

According to the Independent, a former permanent secretary has disclosed that the automated deletion system was set up just weeks ahead of the enforcement of Freedom of Information Act came into effect in January 2005.

A government official has claimed that it was a coincidence and the automated deletion system had nothing to do with Freedom of Information Act

But, Maurice Frankel, director of the UK Campaign for Freedom of Information, insists that the timing “very strongly indicates that it was not a coincidence”.

“Some people delete their emails on an almost daily basis, others just try to avoid putting anything potentially interesting in an email in the first place,” Sean Kemp, a former special adviser to Nick Clegg was quoted by the Independent as saying.

Meanwhile, an American intelligence linguist said the automated email deletion system was designed to clear government officials of any liability.

“Unfortunately, this particular system was designed in a way to actually to protect the individuals in the government from any liability,” former American intelligence linguist Scott Rickard told Press TV on Wednesday.

UK former prime minister Tony Blair introduced the Freedom of Information Act in 2005.

The Freedom of Information Act took effect back in January 2005.

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has already described introducing the Freedom of Information Act as his biggest regret.

Blair claimed that the act, which was designed to boost transparency in public bodies, had failed to meet its purpose, with journalists using it as a “weapon”.

However, critics believe that the government has failed to maintain accountability and violated people’s trust by failing to observe the legislation which was supposed to “keep the government honest.”

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