FOI has had chilling effect, says mandarin

BRITAIN’S most senior civil servant has defended a controversial review of Freedom of Information laws, saying it had to address a “chilling effect” on the way in which Whitehall operates.

Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary and head of the Civil Service, said the review would address the “pros and cons” of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. Since its introduction in 2005, the Act has given the public the right to access information held by government and other public bodies.

However, the Government has infuriated media groups and transparency campaigners by setting up a review run in part by politicians embarrassed by revelations under the FOI Act.

Earlier this week, more than 140 media organisations and campaign groups wrote to David Cameron expressing “serious concern” at the review. The groups – which include Telegraph Media Group, publisher of The Daily Tele

graph – complained that its terms of reference make clear “its purpose is to consider new restrictions to the Act”. There had been concerns earlier this year that Jack Straw, former home secretary, and Lord Howard of Lympne, a former Tory leader, were on the fivestrong group conducting the review.

Mr Straw as home secretary blocked the release of Cabinet minutes relating to Scottish devolution and the Iraq War, while Lord Howard was criticised in the MPs’ expenses scandal for his large gardening bills, which were disclosed after an FOI request.

Sir Jeremy made his comments to an audience at the Institute for Government on Wednesday. A Foreign Office official complained that the legislation felt “like the sand in the machinery that constantly distracts from the process of getting on and delivering on policy”.

Sir Jeremy said he believed there should be “an independent review by a group of very eminent people”, who could look at the “pros and cons”. He added: “I should probably stop there, but clearly there are some extra costs that come with the Freedom of Information act, there are some chilling effects, there’s no doubt about it whatsoever.” However, he was keen to point out it has equally “been a very big positive”, saying “I think in this day and age the public doesn’t stand for secrecy”.