U.K. seeks FOIA Company compliance.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT: News, Trends & Analysis - Freedom of Information Act - Brief article

The U.K. government wants its Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to cover private companies and contractors that "carry out functions of a public nature."

In a November consultation paper, the state said that firms under contract with a public body should be subject to the same scrutiny as others that must follow the act's rules.

According to Contractor UK, the government is considering building information-access obligations into service contracts with private-sector suppliers that deliver public services. Legal experts said the proposal would require private IT contractors who deliver outsourced services to handle FOI requests.

"Some organizations receive large amounts of taxpayers' money to carry out functions of a public nature but are not currently subject to the act," the government stated. "Some...