Chris Grayling criticised journalists who ‘abuse’ the Freedom of Information Act to gather news stories today in a House of Commons debate.

The Freedom of Information Act, fully introduced in 2001, allows access to information held by public authorities by obliging them to publish records of their activities.

Earlier this year the Government launched a consultation on whether to restrict the act, for example by issuing fees on members of the public who submit requests.

The Epsom and Ewell MP said in the Commons today: "The Freedom of Information Act is something this Government is committed to but we want to make sure it works well and fairly.

"It cannot be abused. It cannot be misused.

"It is on occasions misused by those who use it effectively as a research tool to generate stories for the media. That is not acceptable.

"It is a legitimate and important tool for those who want to understand why and how Government has taken decisions, and it is not the intention of this Government to change that."

But the Campaign for Freedom of Information hit back at the leader of the House of Commons, saying a restriction on the act would ‘reduce accountability’.

Director Maurice Frankel said: "The act exists to help hold Government to account, improve the public's understanding of what it does and to show whether policies are working and identify where public services need to be improved.

"Journalists are key users of the act for those purposes and no-one should be surprised if that involves producing 'stories'.

"That's how the public learns what is going on and trying to restrict journalists' use of the act will reduce accountability.

"Mr Grayling should tell the commission to go into reverse and examine ways of actually opening the process up instead."

 

In 2014 our journalists used the Freedom of Information Act to reveal:

• The director of a failing children's services department was given a secret £128,000 pay off to persuade him to leave

• Taxpayers have shelled out £80,000 on a police boss suspended for a year

• Londoners make up a third of people arrested for crimes in leafy Epsom and Ewell

• The security bungles that let a child killer slip guards and escape a courtroom

• Left in misery by unfinished roadworks in SW London last year? We found out which company was the worst offender

• More than 1,500 people have been patiently (or impatiently) waiting 10 years or longer for a council house

• Most dangerous bus routes you might want to avoid

• Huge compensation claims paid out by councils

• Surprisingly positive trends in the number of teachers attacked by pupils

• Drunks are costing ambulance service vast amounts to deal with each year

• A council has dished out nearly £5m in parking fines - the fourth most lucrative in the UK

• More trees were being cut down than planted in one London borough

• Hospital patients meant to be resting were moved 4,000 times a year during the night

• Newly qualified social workers can be dealing with up to 18 complex cases at once

• Spending on language translation in hospitals has tripled in five years

• Bookworms owed £10,000 in late library fines in one London borough