Restrictions could be placed on FOI requests

Wed, 27 Jul 2016

Freedom of Information requests could be blocked if they will cost too much money or take too much time to answer.

That's according to the Policy and Reform Minister who says a 'balance' must be struck when the policy is rolled out to all government departments.

A pilot phase of the project - which included the Cabinet Office and Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture - went live in February; it will be rolled out to other departments in January.

40 requests have been submitted so far each taking an average of 15 hours to complete - the most expensive request to date, which is yet to be finished, has taken over 60 hours and cost £1500.

John Shimmin says the response to the roll out has been good so far: