Falconer: no plans for FOI request charge

The Government does not intend to introduce a flat-rate fee for requests under the Freedom of Information Act, but confirmed that it is examining other options for changing the FoI fees structure.

In July the Sunday Times obtained a confidential cabinet memo suggesting that the Constitutional Affairs Secretary, Lord Falconer, had proposed the introduction of FoI fees to deter "serial requesters". However, in a statement about proposed changes to the FoI fee regime released by the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the department said: "The Government is not minded to introduce a flat rate fee."

Instead, the DCA said it would considering allowing public bodies to take into account the time taken to consider exemptions, read through documents, and gain outside consultation when assessing whether a request can be refused on const grounds.

No Government plans for flat FoI request fee, says Falconer (Press Gazette, 16 October 2006)

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