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Archived press release

Don't Destroy Our Right to Know

23 December 2004

Friends of the Earth today (Thursday) urged government departments to rethink its approach to the new Freedom of Information laws, following reports of an increase in the number of documents being shredded.

The new laws, which come into force on the 1^st January 2005, give people unprecedented rights to previously secret information held by public authorities and some companies - covering everything from information about GM crops and airport expansion plans to the impact of corporate lobbying on central government. All recorded information, whatever its form, is covered by the new laws.

Friends of the Earth intends to vigorously test the new laws to make sure public authorities and companies meet their obligations, and has launched a unique online "Information Request Generator" which will let people apply directly for information to find out what central government is doing on their behalf and with public money [1].

Friends of the Earth's Right to Know Campaigner Phil Michaels said:

"The new Right to Know laws require a fundamental change in the mindset of mandarins and ministers alike. The culture of secrecy and shredding has to stop if we are to see the benefit of these new laws. Good records management is laudable. But the large increase in the volume of shredding on the eve of the new laws coming into force raises very serious questions about the intentions of those departments and the approach that they will take to requests for information in the new year. Time and effort should be spent on paving the way for releasing information, not on destroying records."

Notes

[1] See: www.RightToKnowOnline.org

For further information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

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