Setting the new silver standard: Chris Graham, Information Commissioner

Setting the new silver standard: Chris Graham, Information Commissioner

Martin Rosenbaum of the BBC writes:

"The new Information Commissioner [for England, Wales & Northern Ireland], Chris Graham, says he's devoted the first phase of his time in office to "listening and learning". Now he has decided on what he's going to do to improve the effectiveness of his organisation - it's responsible for freedom of information and data protection law - and to tackle his most pressing challenge, the huge backlog of freedom of information complaints.

So if you're waiting for a decision notice from the ICO, you might have to accept (in his words) a "silver standard" rather than a "gold standard" one - but at least it should be quicker."

Interestingly, only last week the Information Tribunal criticised an ICO decision from June for its "insufficiently rigorous" analysis. So that'll be the gold standard then. Can't wait to see the silver standard.

Read more

Chris Graham interviewed on his plans as Commissioner (BBC website, 30 November 2009)