[okfn-discuss] RFI: OKF accounts with the UK government

[Peter Murray-Rust]

This is interesting and I have skimmed through your list. I have some more
general comments which may not be completely relevant on tis list

On Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 1:20 PM, Tony Bowden <tony at mysociety.org> wrote:

> On Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 2:49 PM, Peter Murray-Rust <pm286 at cam.ac.uk>
> wrote:
> > I don't think we should have an OKF-WDTK as I expect the number of
> questions
> > to be small.
>
> WDTK are often willing to add bodies who aren't subject to FOI, but
> which the team there think should be,


This suggests that WDTK adds some bodies without their consent or knowledge.
Does that not mean there is potential tension when they get requests (I
noted one where the requester had severely taken the body to task for not
replying in the required time (which was not appropriate).


> or who voluntarily agree to
> answer requests as if they were subject.
>

I have noted a number of bodies with Royal Charters, instantiation as a
result of Government acts, etc.   There are seen by many as "publicly funded
bodies" in spirit if not in law.

>
> See, for example
>
> http://www.mysociety.org/2010/10/31/transparency-publicly-funded-arts-bodies/
>
> If OKF asked to be added to that list it could be quite interesting.
>
> WDTK is specifically British (UK? English?) . OKF might fall outside this.

I think it's a nice idea, not sure how it works in practice.

P.

-- 
Peter Murray-Rust
Reader in Molecular Informatics
Unilever Centre, Dep. Of Chemistry
University of Cambridge
CB2 1EW, UK
+44-1223-763069
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