The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is to prioritise complaints made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) where there is significant public interest.
John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, said: ‘We have been looking at ways to improve our FOI services, including making better choices to ensure we are delivering timely outcomes.’
Following consultation last year, the ICO has clarified its public interest criteria, for example, if the issue is likely to involve large amounts of public money, or the information may significantly impact vulnerable groups. The ICO will aim to allocate priority cases within four weeks and fast-track 15-20% of its caseload.
