Martin Rosenbaum
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mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Martin Rosenbaum
@mrosenbaum.bsky.social
2.8K followers 680 following 260 posts
Freedom of information expert & consultant. Honorary Research Fellow, Birkbeck College politics dept. Author, 'Freedom of Information: A practical guidebook', http://amzn.to/3L2tuKi. ExBBC political journalist & radio producer. https://rosenbaum.org.uk/
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mrosenbaum.bsky.social
In the Commons yesterday, Tory frontbencher Caroline Johnson initiated a debate on government transparency and accountability - including on the pincer movement sometimes needed using both written PQs and FOI to extract answers (the reply from the minister Chris Ward did not engage with this point)
I will give an example. After the strategic defence review in 2025, I submitted a written parliamentary question to the Secretary of State for Defence to ask which industry bodies, defence industry companies, media organisations and other non-government bodies or people were given access to the review ahead of its publication, and at what times. Because they did not answer the question, I submitted an FOI request. I did not receive a timely response to that. I therefore had to go back to where I started and submitted a written question on 1 September, asking when the Department planned to respond to the FOI request. I finally received a grossly belated response on 16 September—yet it was dated 9 September—from the Secretary of State. That reply was incomplete and I have had to submit another FOI request to get the rest of the information. Is this not the kind of wasteful and inefficient use of time in Government Departments and the civil service that our constituents want rooting out? Why should Members need to submit an FOI request to get an answer to their written question and then submit a written question about that very FOI request in order to get the answer that the Department clearly had all along?
November 28, 2025 at 2:46 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
What the Hallett Covid inquiry report says about use of private communication channels (eg WhatsApp) & impact on govt record-keeping: it is likely to 'undermine external scrutiny of decision-making, transparency and public accountability' and impede responses to FOI requests.
Mr Johnson told the Inquiry that there “was not ‘Government by WhatsApp’” in the UK government during the pandemic.222 However, there was evidence of UK government WhatsApp discussions about: possible interventions in March 2020; the lifting of restrictions in the summer of 2020; whether to implement a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown in September 2020; the viability of population segmentation; mandating face coverings; and the reduction in social distancing.223 11.116. Key decision-makers such as Ms Sturgeon and Mr Swinney used private phones for official business throughout the pandemic and to discuss aspects of the response. Ms Sturgeon used direct messaging on the social media platform Twitter (subsequently known as X) to discuss the pandemic response with Professor Devi Sridhar, Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh and a member of the Scottish Government Covid-19 Advisory Group.224 11.117. The Inquiry also saw examples of substantive discussions between ministers, civil servants and special advisers in Northern Ireland on instant communication channels.225 The use of private channels also makes official record-keeping of decision-making more difficult and less reliable, which is likely to undermine external scrutiny of decision-making, transparency and, ultimately, public accountability.234 The ability of government to comply with its legal obligations (including those under the Public Records Act 1958) in response to freedom of information requests, during court processes and in the work of public inquiries may also be impeded. Government business should be conducted using approved channels on official devices. This is to ensure the adequacy of decision-making processes and the retention of the requisite records, as well as to protect the security of communications. However, if in exceptional circumstances a person uses a private device for government business, they must ensure that all communications are retained and transferred to official systems. Policies should be updated to ensure this. Otherwise, governments have no real oversight of the extent to which private devices, as well as instant communication channels, are being used for government business. Appropriate record-keeping is also reliant upon individuals proactively identifying and transferring relevant information to official systems.
November 20, 2025 at 4:36 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
The ICO is investigating claims that on the same day that an FOI tribunal ordered Fermanagh & Omagh Council to disclose inspection reports for two dog breeders, the council destroyed eight years' worth of similar information about other dog breeding premises. The ICO is 'surprised and concerned'.
November 6, 2025 at 12:45 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
FOI requesters often feel frustrated when getting answers like 'under 5' instead of actual numbers - but this isn't allowed unless the individuals involved are actually identifiable. See this recent ICO decision: ico.org.uk/media2/o0rgv... (h/t Tim Turner)
He notes that the withheld information would reveal the number of hospital admissions in Lincolnshire relating to Lyme Disease broken down by year and show the length of those admissions. But the Commissioner still cannot see how, despite the low numbers, disclosure would lead to the identification of the relevant data subjects. Without being able to successfully link the withheld information to the data subjects (and provide convincing arguments over how this can be done), the Commissioner is of the view that it cannot be categorised as personal data, as defined in section 3(2) of the DPA. He has therefore no alternative, based on the submissions he has received, but to conclude that section 40(2) of FOIA is not engaged.
October 30, 2025 at 10:32 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Many large public bodies do not publish the FOI statistics required by the Cabinet Office Code of Practice. The ICO has now started taking action over this - it's just issued eight practice recommendations to departments in the Northern Ireland Executive.
ICO's regulatory action webpage, showing practice recommendation for Northern Ireland Executive
October 25, 2025 at 1:15 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Transport for London official (discussing whether to publish research about impact of LTNs commissioned from Uni of Westminster) writes "this stuff is FOI-able ... we may be forced to publish" - but actually they didn't, and it has indeed been FOI'd
"There’s also the very thorny issue that, regardless of our publication plans (especially if nothing specific has been decided), all of this stuff is FOI-able! So as soon as word gets out that these reports exist (something which I think for now hasn’t happened – crucially not reached those more prone to send FOIs) we may be forced to publish what we have. Hence (and this may be more for [redacted]) we may not want to mention anything at all (including the good news about Cycleways) until we’re ready to go out with the whole lot. UoW usually talk about this research at conferences over the summer but so far this hasn’t come to bite us and it could be framed as “their thing” even though it’s our research, money and data"
October 15, 2025 at 4:41 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
I also looked at what the latest @britishelectionstudy.com data tells us about the leisure activities of different party supporters, and this was the most striking comparison - Reform voters are much less likely to get their news from the BBC
rosenbaum6.substack.com/p/politics-p...
Only 44% of Reform voters said they had watched BBC news in the past 12 months, compared to 61% of Greens, 65% of Tories, 69% of Labour voters and 73% of LibDems.
October 10, 2025 at 10:48 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
What are the links between personality and party support? I've examined the latest @britishelectionstudy.com data for the most recent evidence ....
rosenbaum6.substack.com/p/politics-p...
This table shows the average score for each party’s voters on a scale for each of the 'big five' personality dimensions
October 10, 2025 at 10:46 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Reminder: On Tues 14 Oct, I'm talking to the ICO's Director of FOI Warren Seddon abut 20 years of FOI, as part of the ICO's annual online event - anyone can register via here: ico.org.uk/about-the-ic...
October 7, 2025 at 1:05 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Since MRPs are in the news, this is what I wrote in May after a British Polling Council conference … more here: rosenbaum6.substack.com/p/maybe-righ...
September 28, 2025 at 7:57 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
This shows the dire FOI position at the Foreign Office - in the latest FOI figures, Q2 of 2025, their FOI responses were late on 42% of occasions
September 17, 2025 at 10:32 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
This chart (from govt stats for Q2 of 2025) shows how FOI requests to UK central govt are up on last year - notably Home Office, DWP, Treasury (it's not because of last year's gen elec, similar comparison applies to other previous quarters)
September 17, 2025 at 10:29 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
How vitally important documents from the heart of government have been kept and organised, according to Baroness Finn, former Cabinet Office SpAd & NED (speaking in the House of Lords yesterday)
"When I was working in the Cabinet Office during the coalition Government, the Minister there, much to his astonishment, discovered during the course of an inquiry that there existed a rather chaotic room which housed the Cabinet Secretary’s so-called personal files. At the time there was no registry of these files; they were just thrown into the room. As a result, officials kept finding extra files after the initial request had gone out."
July 5, 2025 at 12:57 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Your question prompted me to take a quick look at the data historically - interesting to see there has been a recent increase in proportion of internal reviews that overturn initial withholding of information, for central govt
Percentage of FOI internal reviews which fully or partly overturn initial withholding of information (UK central government bodies): 2016 21 2017 22 2018 23 2019 19 2020 21 2021 22 2022 24 2023 25 2024 27
July 3, 2025 at 12:05 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
V thorough and clear article here by @alexparsons.bsky.social comparing FOI and Parliamentary questions
Table comparing FOI and PQs
July 1, 2025 at 1:18 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
The latest FOI stats show that in the first quarter of 2025 the Foreign Office still had an appalling problem of delay in its FOI responses, missing the legal deadline in 35% of cases, much worse than any other govt dept.
The latest FOI stats show that in the first quarter of 2025 the Foreign Office still had an appalling problem of delay in its FOI responses, missing the legal deadline in 35% of cases, much worse than any other govt dept.
June 18, 2025 at 10:34 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
I used FOI last year to look at the very striking problematic impact of the VAT threshold, but I'm not sure what the best policy solution is -
rosenbaum.org.uk/the-vat-clif...
May 21, 2025 at 10:50 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Got a brief mention in the N Ireland Assembly yesterday, from Timothy Gaston MLA, about the NI Executive arranging transcription of one of my appearances on the Nolan Show - and was then interviewed by Stephen Nolan this morning about why I'm not that surprised ...

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
... the Executive Office had civil servants typing up five full transcripts of interviews featuring me or my staff on 'The Nolan Show', totalling a whopping 63 pages. The transcripts covered contributions from me, my assistant Sammy Morrison and even an expert on freedom of information, Martin Rosenbaum. Let me be clear: those were not policy briefings but media appearances ...
May 20, 2025 at 1:08 PM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
One of the very interesting charts in this excellent piece by @hannahbunting.bsky.social on measuring the extent of electoral fragmentation
The vote share taken by the winning party in local elections across 80 years.
May 4, 2025 at 11:56 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
FOI stats for central govt for 2024 (just published) show that Foreign Office and DCMS had serious problems with late responding to requests, often failing to meet the legal deadline
Chart showing late responses from government departments
April 30, 2025 at 9:04 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Very nicely constructed clue in the Observer Everyman crossword this week, immediately prior to transition of ownership
April 23, 2025 at 10:39 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Labour's constituency campaign spending in 2024 gen election was £4,600 less on average in LibDem targets than in other comparable seats - my analysis (using new Electoral Commission data) of how Lab limited its electioneering efforts in places which LibDems might win from Tories
This chart demonstrates that in most places where the LibDems could be hopeful of victory, Labour generally spent a fairly small proportion of the maximum legally allowed for local campaigning at the 2024 election. This was in stark contrast to its general pattern of expenditure.
April 13, 2025 at 10:25 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
This PQ from Kevin Hollinrake raises an important point. I've never understood why returning officers are outside FOI, and when I was at the BBC we relied on their goodwill (sometimes forthcoming, sometimes not) for collecting data from them.
Kevin Hollinrake Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including Electoral Returning Officers on the list of public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Rushanara Ali Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government) The Government has not issued guidance on including Returning Officers or Electoral Registration Officers within the definition of local authorities for the Re-use of Public Sector Information. The Government has not made an assessment of the potential merits of including Returning Officers of Electoral Registration Officers on the list of public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
April 4, 2025 at 11:01 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
On reading the White House account of how its ludicrous tariff 'formula' deals with elasticity parameters, I was rather reminded of the similar mathematical approach advocated by the Butcher to the Beaver in Lewis Carrol's Hunting of the Snark
"Taking Three as the subject to reason about— A convenient number to state— We add Seven, and Ten, and then multiply out By One Thousand diminished by Eight. "The result we proceed to divide, as you see, By Nine Hundred and Ninety and Two: Then subtract Seventeen, and the answer must be Exactly and perfectly true. To calculate reciprocal tariffs, import and export data from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2024. Parameter values for ε and φ were selected. The price elasticity of import demand, ε, was set at 4. Recent evidence suggests the elasticity is near 2 in the long run (Boehm et al., 2023), but estimates of the elasticity vary. To be conservative, studies that find higher elasticities near 3-4 (e.g., Broda and Weinstein 2006; Simonovska and Waugh 2014; Soderbery 2018) were drawn on. The elasticity of import prices with respect to tariffs, φ, is 0.25. The recent experience with U.S. tariffs on China has demonstrated that tariff passthrough to retail prices was low (Cavallo et al, 2021).
April 4, 2025 at 10:33 AM
mrosenbaum.bsky.social
Coming soon ... the chance to be a non-legal fee-paid member of Tribunal panels which decide FOI cases
Fee-Paid Member of the First-tier Tribunal, General Regulatory Chamber, (Information Rights Jurisdiction) TYPE: Non legal We have been asked to identify ten candidates for the post of Fee-Paid Member of the First-tier Tribunal, General Regulatory Chamber, (Information Rights Jurisdiction). Fee-paid Tribunal members sit with a Judge to determine appeals from decisions of the Information Commissioner made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and Data Protection Act 2018/GDPR. The cases may concern access to information by a member of the public, or enforcement action taken by the Information Commissioner. Candidates will be required to demonstrate substantial experience of the Data Protection Act 2018, and/or the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. Launch Date: June 2025
March 27, 2025 at 10:44 AM