Podcast Archive

This is a quarterly podcast by Ibrahim Hasan, solicitor and information law expert. It is designed to bring busy public sector practitioners up to date with the latest developments in Freedom of Information law. This is the only FOI podcast of it's kind in the UK and has been mentioned in the Times newspaper and numerous other blogs.

In each episode Ibrahim discusses the latest decisions from the Information Commissioner and Information Tribunal.

CPD CREDITS - If you listen to the podcast and read a script you can claim half a CPD point. Please read the guidelines for solicitors to learn about how and what to record in your training records.

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NEW EPISODE 28 - May 2012 ( Listen )

In this episode Ibrahim discusses FOI developments and decisions from the first quarter of 2012 including those concerning:

When deleted information is held
Private emails and text messages
Vexatious requests
Employment Tribunal statistics
Section 30
Social work records of the deceased
Senior officers interests
Job application information
Tender pricing Information

There is also a quick review of recent developments in the world of transparency and FOI.

We have a few places left on our upcoming ISEB courses in London and Manchester.

NEW EPISODE 27 - February 2012 ( Listen )

In this episode Ibrahim discusses FOI developments and decisions during September and December 2011. This includes Commissioner and Tribunal decisions on:

Information in private e mails
Section 11 and providing summaries
Vexatious requests
Empty properties
The Qualfied Person's Opinion
And disclosure of statistics

There is also a quick review of recent developments in the world of transparency and FOI.

EPISODE 26 - September 2011 ( Listen | Script )

In this episode Ibrahim discusses FOI developments and decisions during the six months ending in August 2011. This includes Commissioner and Tribunal decisions on:

Schools and information law
When information is held under FOI
Information held by PFI Contractors
Vexatious Requests
Personal Data and Statistics
Disclosure of Salaries
Deceased Persons' Information
And Section 43 and disclosure of contracts

EPISODE 25 - March 2011 ( Listen | Script )

In this episode Ibrahim examines the changes to the FOI Act, which will be implemented through the Protection of Freedoms Bill as well as the latest FOI decisions (from December 2010 to February 2011). He will focus on:

The proposal to require datasets to be published and made available for re use
The new definition of publically owned company
The First ICO Undertaking under FOI
Redaction costs under the Fees Regulations
Disclosure of information about employees including names, bonus payments, compromise agreements and retirement packages
AND disclosure of contract incentives

EPISODE 24 - January 2011 ( Listen | Script )

In this episode we look at the changes to FOI announced by the Ministry of Justice as well as the latest FOI decisions (from September to November 2010). This includes decisions about:

When information is held for the purposes of FOI
The strike out of academic tribunal appeals
Section 12 and the costs of compliance
Pay negotiations information
Applying the personal data exemption
AND disclosure of commercially sensitive information

EPISODE 23 - September 2010 ( Listen | Script )

This episode covers the Information Commissioner and Tribunal in the four months up to the end of August 2010. Ibrahim discusses decisions on, amongst others:

Vexatious requests
The latest thinking on the personal data exemption
Draft reports and section 22
Request made through the What Do They Know website
AND disclosure of PFI cash flows

Click here for details of our forthcoming course leading to the ISEB Certificate in Freedom of Information in Manchester (starting 18th November 2010)

EPISODE 22 - February, March and April 2010 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 150 and Information Tribunal 19

EIR and CON29 Search information
Vexatious requests
Animal testing
Historic and anonymised data
Scientology
AND disclosure of legal advice

EPISODE 21 - November, December 2009 and January 2010 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 154 and Information Tribunal 17

Redaction costs when dealing with FOI requests
Another use of the ministerial veto
Section 36 and the opinion of the qualified person
The tax status of a conservative peer
Disclosure of information about the deceased
AND disclosure of university course materials

EPISODE 20 - August, September and October 2009 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 132 and Information Tribunal 11

Information contained in publication schemes
Marks on documents and whether they constitute information
Vexatious requests
Section 35 and disclosure of ministerial letters
Statistics and section 40
Disclosure of bonus payments to employees
Tender evaluation information

Ibrahim also examines an important High Court Case regarding the Audit Commission Act and commercial confidentiality in contracts and tenders.

EPISODE 19 - May, June and July 2009 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 74 and Information Tribunal 13

Fees and the aggregation rules
Request for information about land
Court records and section 32
Section 36 and disclosure of internal correspondence
Statistics and section 40
Disclosure of disciplinary records
AND the definition of commercial interests under section 43

EPISODE 18 - March and April 2009 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 77 and Information Tribunal 11

Information held with a view to publication
Disclosure of CCTV footage of the 7th July Bombers
The definition of court records
Whether names of FOI requestors should be disclosed
The latest thinking on the section 42 exemption for legal privilege
AND disclosure of commercially sensitive information
There is also comment on the MPs' exepenses saga.

EPISODE 17 - January and February 2009 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 27 and Information Tribunal 11

Requests for information in electronic form
The first ministerial veto of a Tribunal decision
Section 35 and the public interest test
When statistics about properties can be personal data
Correspondence between Princess Diana and the government
Information about job applicants
Disclosure of major IT contracts
AND the first FOI appeal to the House of Lords

EPISODE 16 - November and December 2008 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 29 and Information Tribunal 14

Information held by the private sector
Vexatious requests
What costs can be passed on to an applicant
Section 30 and access to audit reports
Names of child care managers
Access to legal advice
AND disclosure of consultant tender bids and scorecards

EPISODE 15 - September and October 2008 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 33 and Information Tribunal 11

Information held on behalf of coroners
Section 21 and information held by a court
Disclosure of information about statutory inquiries
OFSTED inspectors' notes
A request for information about Government Information Sharing initiatives
Disclosure of Employment Tribunal details
Drug testing methodologies
AND when information about residential care homes can be disclosed under section 43

EPISODE 14 - July and August 2008 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 42 and Information Tribunal 10

The definition of information and when it is held by a public authority
The applicability of FOI to information held in solicitors' files
Vexatious requests
Section 21 and what is reasonably accessible information
Section 35 and the public interest
Section 36 and requests about requests
Disclosure of statistics
Disclosure of legal advice
AND when losing bidders' information can be disclosed under section 43

EPISODE 13 - May and June 2008 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 43 and Information Tribunal 10

The definition of information and when it is held by the organisation
Vexatious requests
Section 17 and the Public Interest Test
Section 36 and requests about FOI requests
When statistics can still be personal data
The long running saga of MPs expenses
Disclosure of addressees
AND when contract and financial information can be withheld under section 43

EPISODE 12 - March and April 2008 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 44 and Information Tribunal 15

How to decide which regime applies to an information request (FOI or EIR)
Information available on websites
Disclosure of correspondence with councillors
The section 38 exemption for health and safety
Disclosure of names of employees and those attending meetings
More guidance as to when legal advice should be disclosed
AND When price information can be withheld under section 43

EPISODE 11 - January and February 2008 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 60 and Information Tribunal 10

More guidance on what is information under FOI
Release of sensitive information relating to the circumstances around the war
A Tribunal decision on the definition of personal data
The overturning of the Information Commissioner's decision ordering disclosure of ASBO information
Disclosure of salaries
And the first decision requiring disclosure of legal advice on public interest grounds
There is also comment and analysis from Tim Turner of Wigan Council.

EPISODE 10 - January 2008 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 45 and Information Tribunal 14

A Tribunal decision on vexatious requests
Whether the time taken to redact exempt information is an allowable cost
Disclosure of information about anthrax stockpiles
When advice to ministers should be disclosed
Blue sky thinking and the section 36 exemption
Disclosure of information contained in a dead person's social work records
AND legal advice about sado masochism

EPISODE 9 - July and August 2007 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 38 and Information Tribunal 9

Vexatious requests and what makes them such
Disclosure of celebrity pay packets by the BBC
Disclosure of staff attendance at work
The applicability of section 21 to information on the internet
The link between the fees provisions and section 16
The first Tribunal decision on disclosure of dead peoples' information
AND disclosure of information about police speed meters

EPISODE 8 - July and August 2007 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 64 and Information Tribunal 7

The first appeal against an Information Notice
Disclosure of staff names and contact details
The first Commissioner decisions involving GPs
Disclosure of bids received for the purchase of council land
Whether statistics can still be personal data
Disclosure of dead peoples' information
AND when retrieval of information amounts to the creation of new information

EPISODE 7 - May and June 2007 ( Listen | Script )

NUMBER OF DECISIONS - Information Commissioner 57 and Information Tribunal 6

Empty properties
Job evaluation criteria
A councils vehicle towing policy
A hospitals audit report
The retirement packages of senior officers
AND Details of premium bond winners

We also have comment and analysis from Andrew Maughan, of the London Borough of Bexley, who recently represented his council in an appeal to the Information Tribunal

EPISODE 6 - March and April 2007 ( Listen | Script )

The new consultation on the fees regulations
When information is held on behalf of a public authority
The link between the Enterprise Act and FOI
The disclosure of surveillance information
AND Tony Blairs Christmas card list

EPISODE 5 - February 2007 ( Listen | Script )

The first Practice Recommendation issued by the Information Commissioner
The review of the Records Management Code of Practice
The disclosure of salary information
The release of ASBO information
Access to dead peoples' information
The link between the Enterprise Act and FOI
When a request can be treated as vexatious
AND The case of the speeding police bus

There is also have an interview with Susan Healy of the National Archives and comment and analysis from Tim Turner of Wigan Council

EPISODE 4 - December 2006 and January 2007 ( Listen | Script )

News about the governments fees consultation
Access to commercially sensitive information
The application of FOI to the BBC
The vexed question of access to dead peoples' information
MPs expenses claims
Access to lists of addresses of council properties
AND whether information about David Beckham can be released

Due to the Christmas break, the next episode will be broadcast at the end of January.

EPISODE 3 - November 2006 ( Listen | Script )

The latest news on Government's proposals to change the FOI fees regulations
The Information Commissioner's Publication Scheme Initiative
The latest decision from the Information Tribunal
The latest decisions from the Information Commissioner

Due to the Christmas break, the next episode will be broadcast at the end of January.

EPISODE 2 - September and October 2006 ( Listen | Script )

The implications of Government proposals to change the FOI fees regulations
The FOI Progress report from Information Commissioner
The vexed question of access to information about dead people
Whether details of a compromise agreement are disclosable
A number of other decisions from the Information Commissioner and the Information Tribunal
There are interviews with Maurice Frankel of the Campaign for Freedom of Information and also Ilyas Bulbulia of IBA Solicitors.

EPISODE 1 - July, August and September 2006 ( Listen | Script )

Access to personal data
The difference between FOI and EIR
Legal Professional Privelage and FOI
Access to planning information

This was the very fist FOI law podcast and was downloaded almost 1000 times.