The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has announced measures outlining the consequences public authorities will face if they routinely fail to meet the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR). In future, if organisations regularly fail to issue a response on time, refuse to disclose information without specifying an exemption, or if they fail to respond to a request altogether they will be subject to much tougher sanctions. The ICO intends to make fuller use of its regulatory powers of Enforcement Notices, Undertakings and Practice Recommendations to improve compliance.

Mick Gorrill, Head of Enforcement at the ICO, said: “Organisations that take FOIA seriously will have advice and support from the ICO. The public bodies that continually fail to meet their legal obligations will face regulatory action. Using FOIA can take too long and is sometimes overly cumbersome for members of the public. After monitoring authorities’ compliance with the Act, we will take action against those that abuse the system.”