Dom Watts founded the Ministry of Injustice in July 2021. Dom is an IT Professional with 30+ years experience in Tier 1 Banking, Government, Defence, Healthcare and Global Blue Chips. Dom has no legal training and is not a lawyer but has previously consulted for a Magic Circle Law Firm. You can find Dom on X or Google.
Section 4a of The Limitation Act 1980 defines the time limit for actions for defamation or malicious falsehood as one year from the date on which the cause of action accrued.
A simple question, you might imagine. Activists from three of the largest campaign groups on women’s rights @WomensRightsNet@WomenUnitingUK@SexMattersOrg are urging the public to demand EVERY politician standing in next month’s elections can answer that simple question.
Local elections are happening on 5th May 2022.
“Tell candidates: Respect My Sex If You Want My ‘X’!”
The simple answer to this question is of course YES. It is surprising that the leader of the Labour Party, and now Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer was unable to answer such a simple question.
Owning an Electric Scooter (e-scooter) in the UK is legal, but riding one on public roads or pavements remains illegal… Read more: E-Scooters and the Law
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request in the UK is a right provided by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which allows members of the public to request access to information held by public authorities.
Impact: FOI requests have led to significant disclosures, influencing public debate, policy-making, and sometimes leading to changes in how public bodies operate due to increased scrutiny.
Purpose: The Act aims to promote transparency and accountability in public bodies by making information more accessible to the public.
Who Can Make a Request: Anyone, whether a UK resident or not, can make an FOI request.
What Can Be Requested: Information can be requested from any public authority, which includes government departments, local authorities, the NHS, schools, and police forces. The information must be recorded in some form (e.g., documents, emails, data).
Exemptions: Not all information will be released. There are various exemptions where information can be withheld, such as:
National security
Personal information (which might fall under the Data Protection Act)
Information intended for future publication
Information that could prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs
Fees: Requests are usually free, but there might be charges for things like photocopying or if the request involves a significant amount of work.
Appeals: If a request is refused or you’re unsatisfied with the response, there’s a process for internal review. If still not satisfied, you can appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which can enforce compliance.
Organisations you can ask for information
You can request information from some public authorities, such as:
You must make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request in writing. You can do it by:
letter
email
social media
online form – check the organisation’s website or the government department’s page to see if they have an online form
Use the excellent What Do They Know website to make and publicise your FOI request.
From www.whatdotheyknow.com
You need to describe the information you want as specifically as possible.
Response Time: Public authorities have 20 working days to respond to a request. They can extend this period in certain circumstances.
Before you make a request
You might not need to make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request if the organisation has:
already published the information
previously responded to an FOI request
Check their website for responses to previous FOI requests. This is sometimes known as a ‘disclosure log’. You can search for published responses to FOI requests from government departments, agencies and arms length bodies.
You can also email or phone the organisation to ask if they’ve already published the information or responded to an FOI request.
What to include
You should give:
your name (not needed if you’re asking for environmental information)
a contact postal or email address
a detailed description of the information you want – for example, you might want all information held on a subject, or just a summary
You can ask for information in a particular format, such as:
paper or electronic copies of information
audio format
large print
When you’ll get a response
The organisation should send you the information within 20 working days of receiving your request. Some schools are allowed more time during school holidays.
In Scotland, you should allow 6 extra days if you send your request by post.
The organisation will tell you when to expect the information if they need more time.
When your information will be shared
If you’ve sent an FOI request to several government departments, they may share your name and request between them. This is to help deal with your enquiry more effectively.
No other details will be shared and your information will not be used for any other purpose.
We recommend you should always seek formal legal advice if required, from a qualified and reputable lawyer (solicitororbarrister).
Owning an Electric Scooter (e-scooter) in the UK is legal, but riding one on public roads or pavements remains illegal… Read more: E-Scooters and the Law
The following unsolicited junk was received from Crawley Council.
At a time of war in Ukraine, rising costs and Councils pleading poverty, spending precious funds on hand delivered environmentally unfriendly printed material, is a waste of public money.
Crawley Borough Council – Environmentally friendly advice ?Crawley CouncilMayo Wynne Baxter are experienced solicitors based in Brighton, Eastbourne, East Grinstead, Forest Row, Lewes, Pulborough, Seaford and Storrington.
“We understand that Mayo Wynne Baxter does not exist in isolation nor are we a firm that is simply a way of making money.
We take a responsible attitude, go beyond the minimum legal requirements and follow straightforward principles to ensure that the firm’s activities leave a positive impact on our suppliers, clients, community, staff and environment.”
www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk
Rogue Lawyer – Sometimes you have to fight dirty to get clean
Owning an Electric Scooter (e-scooter) in the UK is legal, but riding one on public roads or pavements remains illegal… Read more: E-Scooters and the Law
Owning an Electric Scooter (e-scooter) in the UK is legal, but riding one on public roads or pavements remains illegal… Read more: E-Scooters and the Law
The Law Commission of England and Wales stands as a cornerstone of legal reform in the United Kingdom, tasked with… Read more: Law Commission of England and Wales
The Council of the Inns of Court (COIC), established as a charitable organization in 2014, plays a pivotal role in… Read more: Council of the Inns of Court (COIC)
In R v O’Neill [2016] EWCA Crim 92, [2016] the Court of Appeal had to determine what kinds of breach… Read more: What is Harassment ?
