cross-posted from: https://lemmings.world/post/18709323
Ministers in Tony Blair’s government were advised to use Post-it notes for sensitive messages to avoid having to release them under new Freedom of Information, according newly-released official files.
The Labour government had originally passed the Freedom of Information Act in 2000 but as the full implementation date approached on January 1 2005 there was growing disquiet among ministers and senior officials at the implications.
That sounds quite illegal/against codes. Government agencies usually want a papertrail solely for their internal accountability and documentation. Of course there can be stuff “off the record”, but when it comes to decisionmaking, there should be some reason given on the record and that reason better looks plausible enough.