Claire Miller
@clairemiller.bsky.social
Data journalist, maths geek, feminist, responsible for a lot of the ICO's FOI caseload.
clairemiller.net
clairemiller.net
Reposted by Claire Miller
Problem: you have two left wing parties in British politics.
Solution: start a new left wing party to unify the movement
Problem: you now have four left wing parties in British politics
Solution: start a new left wing party to unify the movement
Problem: you now have four left wing parties in British politics
November 29, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Problem: you have two left wing parties in British politics.
Solution: start a new left wing party to unify the movement
Problem: you now have four left wing parties in British politics
Solution: start a new left wing party to unify the movement
Problem: you now have four left wing parties in British politics
As all the roads in Cardiff are shut*, because someone decided to have the rugby and football kick off at the same time, and no one told the bus driver (until he reached the closed road), I’m now on a mystery tour of Cardiff
*Not actually all, just feels like it
*Not actually all, just feels like it
November 29, 2025 at 4:58 PM
As all the roads in Cardiff are shut*, because someone decided to have the rugby and football kick off at the same time, and no one told the bus driver (until he reached the closed road), I’m now on a mystery tour of Cardiff
*Not actually all, just feels like it
*Not actually all, just feels like it
There's a big difference between footfall at Greater Manchester's busiest tram stop versus its quieter ones (but they're still much busier than Denton train station with just 54 entries & exits):
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 28/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
It seems a bit of a weird coincidence if records people have been requesting under Freedom of Information were all destroyed after a public body had been ordered to comply with a request. So the outcome of the Information Commissioner's Office's (ICO) investigation into Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s handling of key dog breeding records
clairemiller.net
November 29, 2025 at 9:21 AM
There's a big difference between footfall at Greater Manchester's busiest tram stop versus its quieter ones (but they're still much busier than Denton train station with just 54 entries & exits):
#FOI relies on proper record-keeping, so it's good questions are being asked of records management policies involving the sudden destruction of information.
Requests that actually got information:
Requests that actually got information:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 28/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
It seems a bit of a weird coincidence if records people have been requesting under Freedom of Information were all destroyed after a public body had been ordered to comply with a request. So the outcome of the Information Commissioner's Office's (ICO) investigation into Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s handling of key dog breeding records
clairemiller.net
November 28, 2025 at 5:43 PM
#FOI relies on proper record-keeping, so it's good questions are being asked of records management policies involving the sudden destruction of information.
Requests that actually got information:
Requests that actually got information:
Sending your #FOI request to public bodies that just can't help you is a waste of everyone's time.
Citroen got data about the state of the UK roads through FOI requests to 424 councils. It then paid for some pothole repairs in Gateshead.
But there aren't 424 councils in the UK...
Citroen got data about the state of the UK roads through FOI requests to 424 councils. It then paid for some pothole repairs in Gateshead.
But there aren't 424 councils in the UK...
November 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Sending your #FOI request to public bodies that just can't help you is a waste of everyone's time.
Citroen got data about the state of the UK roads through FOI requests to 424 councils. It then paid for some pothole repairs in Gateshead.
But there aren't 424 councils in the UK...
Citroen got data about the state of the UK roads through FOI requests to 424 councils. It then paid for some pothole repairs in Gateshead.
But there aren't 424 councils in the UK...
Dealing with #FOI requests in a statutory responsibility for public bodies.
Not treating that responsibility seriously enough can get you in a mess:
Not treating that responsibility seriously enough can get you in a mess:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 21/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
How a refused Freedom of Information request could lead to residents being shut out of local parks next year. Two residents used FOI to ask Witherley Parish Council for meeting notes, documents and emails about the neighbourhood plan - one in February 2021 and the second in May 2021. The parish council said most of
clairemiller.net
November 27, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Dealing with #FOI requests in a statutory responsibility for public bodies.
Not treating that responsibility seriously enough can get you in a mess:
Not treating that responsibility seriously enough can get you in a mess:
You know the classic #FOI response full of blacked out lines of text?
It only works if the redaction actually stops you seeing text (so, for example, you can't just copy & paste it somewhere else)
It only works if the redaction actually stops you seeing text (so, for example, you can't just copy & paste it somewhere else)
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 21/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
How a refused Freedom of Information request could lead to residents being shut out of local parks next year. Two residents used FOI to ask Witherley Parish Council for meeting notes, documents and emails about the neighbourhood plan - one in February 2021 and the second in May 2021. The parish council said most of
clairemiller.net
November 26, 2025 at 6:07 PM
You know the classic #FOI response full of blacked out lines of text?
It only works if the redaction actually stops you seeing text (so, for example, you can't just copy & paste it somewhere else)
It only works if the redaction actually stops you seeing text (so, for example, you can't just copy & paste it somewhere else)
Reposted by Claire Miller
In her #Budget2025 speech, Rachel Reeves has just announced that the two-child benefit limit will be scrapped from April.
Our explainer looks at who is impacted by the limit, and what effect removing it might have on the number of children in poverty.
Our explainer looks at who is impacted by the limit, and what effect removing it might have on the number of children in poverty.
Child poverty and the two-child benefit cap: explained – Full Fact
Our explainer looks at the different ways child poverty is measured, and the impact of the two-child benefit cap.
fullfact.org
November 26, 2025 at 2:04 PM
In her #Budget2025 speech, Rachel Reeves has just announced that the two-child benefit limit will be scrapped from April.
Our explainer looks at who is impacted by the limit, and what effect removing it might have on the number of children in poverty.
Our explainer looks at who is impacted by the limit, and what effect removing it might have on the number of children in poverty.
Couple of interesting #FOI responses highlighting the problem of comparing responses from round-robin requests
Is there an energy bill overspend or different costs included? Car tyres or all tyres?
Is there an energy bill overspend or different costs included? Car tyres or all tyres?
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 21/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
How a refused Freedom of Information request could lead to residents being shut out of local parks next year. Two residents used FOI to ask Witherley Parish Council for meeting notes, documents and emails about the neighbourhood plan - one in February 2021 and the second in May 2021. The parish council said most of
clairemiller.net
November 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Couple of interesting #FOI responses highlighting the problem of comparing responses from round-robin requests
Is there an energy bill overspend or different costs included? Car tyres or all tyres?
Is there an energy bill overspend or different costs included? Car tyres or all tyres?
No data on child protection enquiries for home-educated kids. No rent appeals system stats. No idea if advertised Oxford tutors exist.
Sometimes not getting information from your #FOI tells a story
Sometimes not getting information from your #FOI tells a story
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 21/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
How a refused Freedom of Information request could lead to residents being shut out of local parks next year. Two residents used FOI to ask Witherley Parish Council for meeting notes, documents and emails about the neighbourhood plan - one in February 2021 and the second in May 2021. The parish council said most of
clairemiller.net
November 26, 2025 at 8:25 AM
No data on child protection enquiries for home-educated kids. No rent appeals system stats. No idea if advertised Oxford tutors exist.
Sometimes not getting information from your #FOI tells a story
Sometimes not getting information from your #FOI tells a story
Reposted by Claire Miller
When can you declare an emergency over?
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
November 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
When can you declare an emergency over?
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
How does an #FOI request potentially lead to residents being shut out of local parks next year?
A tribunal judgement about the handling of a request shouldn't usually result in your insurer calling you a moral hazard and ditching you, so how did this one escalate...
A tribunal judgement about the handling of a request shouldn't usually result in your insurer calling you a moral hazard and ditching you, so how did this one escalate...
November 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
How does an #FOI request potentially lead to residents being shut out of local parks next year?
A tribunal judgement about the handling of a request shouldn't usually result in your insurer calling you a moral hazard and ditching you, so how did this one escalate...
A tribunal judgement about the handling of a request shouldn't usually result in your insurer calling you a moral hazard and ditching you, so how did this one escalate...
In this week's slightly late #FOI Friday, sometimes no answer is the answer (except when it's no answer because it's just not the public body's responsibility):
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 21/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
How a refused Freedom of Information request could lead to residents being shut out of local parks next year. Two residents used FOI to ask Witherley Parish Council for meeting notes, documents and emails about the neighbourhood plan - one in February 2021 and the second in May 2021. The parish council said most of
clairemiller.net
November 25, 2025 at 1:26 PM
In this week's slightly late #FOI Friday, sometimes no answer is the answer (except when it's no answer because it's just not the public body's responsibility):
Reposted by Claire Miller
A child poverty strategy with the 2-child limit in place would *not* be a credible child poverty strategy. *All* of the growth in child poverty since the 2011/12 low point is for children in scope of this policy.
November 24, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A child poverty strategy with the 2-child limit in place would *not* be a credible child poverty strategy. *All* of the growth in child poverty since the 2011/12 low point is for children in scope of this policy.
Freedom of Information is political.
And not just in the sense that opposition parties are using it on a weekly basis in Scotland...
And not just in the sense that opposition parties are using it on a weekly basis in Scotland...
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 4/4/2025 – #FOIFriday
Freedom of Information is political. And not just in the sense that opposition parties are using it on a weekly basis in Scotland (see below). In the US, among other things going on, unsurprisingly FOI is under attack. Teams that deal with FOIA requests have been entirely cut at the Centers for Disease Control and
clairemiller.net
November 24, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Freedom of Information is political.
And not just in the sense that opposition parties are using it on a weekly basis in Scotland...
And not just in the sense that opposition parties are using it on a weekly basis in Scotland...
Reposted by Claire Miller
PS we've also published all the documents and the judgement too 😀
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/victory-we...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/victory-we...
Victory! We’ve won major legal battle exposing car industry lobbying
After two years we can finally reveal “backdoor channels where corporate money hijacks our democracy.”
democracyforsale.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:58 AM
PS we've also published all the documents and the judgement too 😀
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/victory-we...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/victory-we...
Reposted by Claire Miller
This is the *fourth* information tribunal Democracy for Sale has won this year.
We’re fighting more cases to prise open government secrecy and expose hidden lobbying across British politics.
Sign up to Democracy for Sale to read @lucasamin.bsky.social 's scoop + more
democracyforsale.substack.com
We’re fighting more cases to prise open government secrecy and expose hidden lobbying across British politics.
Sign up to Democracy for Sale to read @lucasamin.bsky.social 's scoop + more
democracyforsale.substack.com
Democracy for Sale | Peter Geoghegan | Substack
A newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Click to read Democracy for Sale, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.
democracyforsale.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This is the *fourth* information tribunal Democracy for Sale has won this year.
We’re fighting more cases to prise open government secrecy and expose hidden lobbying across British politics.
Sign up to Democracy for Sale to read @lucasamin.bsky.social 's scoop + more
democracyforsale.substack.com
We’re fighting more cases to prise open government secrecy and expose hidden lobbying across British politics.
Sign up to Democracy for Sale to read @lucasamin.bsky.social 's scoop + more
democracyforsale.substack.com
Reposted by Claire Miller
Government by WhatsApp
The latest Covid Inquiry report criticises Ministerial use of informal communication channels during the pandemic. It says the practice has serious implications for govt decision-making, FOI, court proceedings and public inquiries.
The latest Covid Inquiry report criticises Ministerial use of informal communication channels during the pandemic. It says the practice has serious implications for govt decision-making, FOI, court proceedings and public inquiries.
November 21, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Government by WhatsApp
The latest Covid Inquiry report criticises Ministerial use of informal communication channels during the pandemic. It says the practice has serious implications for govt decision-making, FOI, court proceedings and public inquiries.
The latest Covid Inquiry report criticises Ministerial use of informal communication channels during the pandemic. It says the practice has serious implications for govt decision-making, FOI, court proceedings and public inquiries.
Reposted by Claire Miller
Investigation: Dozens of councils do not hold data on how many home-educated children are subject to child protection enquiries – suggesting many authorities are underprepared for new duties to protect vulnerable children
schoolsweek.co.uk/safeguarding...
schoolsweek.co.uk/safeguarding...
Safeguarding risk data missing from home education records
Dozens of LAs hold no data on at-home kids potentially at risk, spelling trouble for new duties
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Investigation: Dozens of councils do not hold data on how many home-educated children are subject to child protection enquiries – suggesting many authorities are underprepared for new duties to protect vulnerable children
schoolsweek.co.uk/safeguarding...
schoolsweek.co.uk/safeguarding...
Reposted by Claire Miller
I never thought a comparison could be overly harsh on Stevenage. But here we are.
November 20, 2025 at 9:56 PM
I never thought a comparison could be overly harsh on Stevenage. But here we are.
Reposted by Claire Miller
Worth remembering as this unfolds that it was disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds who disproportionately died. Tens of thousands needlessly lost their lives, many who died alone or with just an iPad. Thousands more were left with life changing Long Covid. A true scandal.
BREAKING: The UK’s response to Covid was “too little, too late”, a damning official report on the handling of the pandemic has concluded, saying the introduction of a lockdown even a week earlier than happened could have saved more than 20,000 lives.
November 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Worth remembering as this unfolds that it was disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds who disproportionately died. Tens of thousands needlessly lost their lives, many who died alone or with just an iPad. Thousands more were left with life changing Long Covid. A true scandal.
Reposted by Claire Miller
If only there had been some clues Boris was like this
November 20, 2025 at 4:20 PM
If only there had been some clues Boris was like this
Two stories this week highlight the usefulness of FOI for campaigners...
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 26/7/2024 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Two stories this week highlight the usefulness of FOI for campaigners. Poor air quality A Greenwich mum is fighting for improved air quality after her three-year-old son was hospitalised and now relies on an inhaler twice a day. Alice Potter, 37, moved to Charlton nearly five years ago with her partner and said that in
clairemiller.net
November 20, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Two stories this week highlight the usefulness of FOI for campaigners...
How many attempts did Britain's most persistent learner driver's need in order to pass their theory or practical tests (probably even more impressive given how hard it is to book tests!)
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 14/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Some classic and creative uses of the Freedom of Information Act this week. There's some FOI stories which turn up quite often in this Friday list (not mentioning potholes). And others that are a bit new and different. One of the aims with this weekly blog is FOI ideas that could be applied in other
clairemiller.net
November 19, 2025 at 1:43 PM
How many attempts did Britain's most persistent learner driver's need in order to pass their theory or practical tests (probably even more impressive given how hard it is to book tests!)
Reposted by Claire Miller
What causes child poverty?
A fall in earnings is the event most likely to put household incomes below the poverty line. But nearly a fifth of families tip into poverty after the arrival of a new child. Knock-on impacts like someone giving up work for childcare add to the risk.
A fall in earnings is the event most likely to put household incomes below the poverty line. But nearly a fifth of families tip into poverty after the arrival of a new child. Knock-on impacts like someone giving up work for childcare add to the risk.
November 19, 2025 at 10:01 AM
What causes child poverty?
A fall in earnings is the event most likely to put household incomes below the poverty line. But nearly a fifth of families tip into poverty after the arrival of a new child. Knock-on impacts like someone giving up work for childcare add to the risk.
A fall in earnings is the event most likely to put household incomes below the poverty line. But nearly a fifth of families tip into poverty after the arrival of a new child. Knock-on impacts like someone giving up work for childcare add to the risk.