Helping You Get FOI Right: Our Support for Practitioners

Today I gave the keynote speech at the eCase FOI Conference and Awards, celebrating 20 years of FOI.

My key message was that transparency and accountability are the foundation of a fair and functioning democracy and we’re here to help you get it right.

Every day, public authorities make decisions that affect people’s lives, and it’s only right that they’re open to scrutiny. That’s where we come in.

Our role isn’t just about enforcing the law — we’re here to support both the people requesting information and the practitioners working hard to provide it.

We know that handling FOI requests isn’t always straightforward. That’s why we’ve put together a range of tools and resources designed with you in mind:

?? A self-assessment toolkit – so you can see where you’re doing well and where there’s room to improve.

?? Good practice examples – real-life case studies to help you learn from what works.

?? A dedicated feedback group – where we test new guidance with practitioners before rolling it out, ensuring it meets your needs.

Our upstream regulation team is also working behind the scenes, looking at common themes in FOI complaints. By identifying patterns, we can provide more targeted advice and guidance, helping you stay ahead of the challenges.

We know you’re committed to getting FOI right and we’re here to support you.