A powerful weapon in the right hands? how members of parliament have used freedom of information in the UK
Worthy, Benjamin (2014) A powerful weapon in the right hands? how members of parliament have used freedom of information in the UK. Parliamentary Affairs 67 (4), pp. 783-803. ISSN 1460-2482.
Abstract
This article examines the extent to which the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) is used by members of the UK Parliament to hold the government to account, compared with the experience in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Ireland. As with other accountability mechanisms, FOI can be used for a range of issues. It is primarily a tool of opposition and can be a versatile weapon, useful in the right time and place. However, it does not significantly enhance accountability and remains a minority pursuit. This is because FOI takes time, members are creatures of habit and it is useful only in particular ways.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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School: | School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy > Politics |
Research Centres and Institutes: | British Politics and Public Life, Centre for |
Depositing User: | Sarah Hall |
Date Deposited: | 05 Nov 2013 11:03 |
Last Modified: | 07 Dec 2016 15:24 |
URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/8689 |
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