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Ministers told to use Post-it notes to avoid Freedom of Information requests (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

5 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Why post-it notes? If they are required to keep official documents, how would the size of the paper, or the slightly sticky part make a difference over, say, a piece of A4?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Presumably not every scrap of paper has to be kept, and this fell into a loophole or grey area.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

I would guess they thought it was a loop hole but were wrong.