Things Politicians Know Thanks to FOI

It's not just the public making use of the Freedom of Information Act, politicians are enthusiastic users too (until they get into power and want to make it weaker *looking at no one*)

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M4 relief road bill for this year will be £20m – even though building work is yet to begin

October 2015

Story

Renewed calls have been made for the M4 Relief Road to be scrapped after it emerged almost £20m is likely to be spent on the project this year – despite construction not being due to start until 2018.

One Labour backbencher called the numbers “appalling” while a Plaid AM said it was time the Welsh Government admitted it is wrong.

The Welsh Government says the cash is needed for work to assess how the project will be built, what land would be needed and what environmental measures would be provided.

It will also cover events to work with the public, including public information exhibitions.

The figures for 2015/16 were revealed in a Freedom of Information request from Plaid Cymru – showing the current forecast expenditure for 15/16 is £19.8m including VAT.

Some £4.2m including VAT was spent in 2014/15.

Plaid Cymru press release

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Welsh Lib Dems “lift the lid” on Welsh Government by publishing decision reports

November 2015

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are vowing to bring transparency to Labour’s Welsh Government as they begin publishing ministerial decision reports, a service previously scrapped by Labour’s First Minister.

The Government’s decision reports were often used by journalists and opposition parties to scrutinise decisions made by Labour Ministers. When Welsh Lib Dem Leader Kirsty Williams challenged the First Minister in the Senedd when the service was scrapped in September; he claimed the decision was made because not enough people were visiting the site.

The Welsh Lib Dems have begun obtaining statements that would have otherwise been published by the Welsh Government under the Freedom of Information Act, and are now publishing them on the party’s website.

Welsh Lib Dems press release

Welsh Government Decision Reports

Welsh Lib Dems celebrate victory as Labour u-turn on decision reports

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First Minister: Not On the Buses

January 2015

Welsh Conservatives have today called on Labour’s First Minister to make a New Year’s resolution to use the bus.

When travelling between his offices in Cardiff Bay and Cathays Park in the city, Welsh Labour’s leader has never used the ‘BayCar’ service, provided by Cardiff Bus.

That’s according to information obtained by Welsh Conservatives, via the Freedom of Information Act:

How many journeys the First Minister has taken between Ty Hywel and Cathays Park using the Cardiff BayCar Bus in 2012/13 and 2013/14.

None

Welsh Conservatives press release

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Only two Newport businesses handed help with business rates since 2013

January 2016

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ONLY two businesses in Newport have been handed help with paying their business rates over the past three years.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Welsh Liberal Democrats show, out of six applications made by firms in the city for Business Rate Hardship Relief between 2013 and 2015, two were granted.

Welsh Lib Dem press release

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Tories call for a 10-minute parking grace period in Wales after figures show motorists spent £15 million in fines

May 2015

Story

The Welsh Conservatives have called for a 10-minute grace period for parking to be introduced across Wales after figures showed at least £15.4m has been collected from parking tickets over the last three years in Wales.

England already gives drivers 10-minutes of leeway in council-run parking before wardens issue tickets but the Welsh Government has said that it doesn’t consider the changes necessary.

The 10-minute grace period is already in operation in at least one council area – Cardiff.

Welsh Conservative press release

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Welsh Conservatives call for a review of appointments to public bodies in Wales

November 2015

New figures contained in a Freedom of Information Request have highlighted the number of ‘Labour insiders’ appointed to public bodies in Wales since the advent of devolution.

Figures reveal that 195 people with direct links to the Welsh Labour Party have been appointed to public bodies in Wales since 1999; nine times the Conservative total, and four times the number with affiliations to Plaid Cymru.

The FOI reveals a total of 2,247 appointments since 1999, of which some 15% declared a political affiliation.

Welsh Conservative press release

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Welsh Government accused of "taking the p*ss" over council mergers

September 2015

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Welsh Lib Dem AM Peter Black accused the Welsh Labour Government of “arrogance” saying the Bill as it stood was “an exercise in futility” and it would serve them right if it was voted down in the Assembly.

The Lib Dems also claimed Labour ministers had wasted £130,000 on a commission on local government reorganisation and then ignored it’s findings.

Welsh Lib Dem press release

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Welsh NHS forks out £17.8m on redundancy payments in three years, figures reveal

October 2015

Story

The Welsh NHS has forked out £17.8m in redundancy payouts to former staff members in the past three years, figures have revealed.

A Freedom of Information request by the Welsh Conservatives has revealed that between 2012 and 2015, the Welsh NHS made more than 500 separate severance payments.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has spent £6.9m on redundancy packages since 2012 – the most of any health board – followed by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg at £3.3m and Betsi Cadwaladr at £3.1m.

Welsh Conservatives press release

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Taxis taking children to school have cost taxpayer £70m in four years, Welsh Liberal Democrats reveal

October 2015

Story

More than £70m of taxpayers’ money has been spent in the past four years taking children to school in taxis.

Peter Black, the Welsh Liberal Democrats’ spokesman for local government, called on councils to review the “eye-watering” expenditure.

He said that while much of the money is spent to help pupils that have particular learning difficulties, the figures go beyond that.

He said he believed a study by the Wales Audit Office of all 22 councils would be able to identify best practice.

The Lib Dems obtained the figures from 17 councils in Wales through the Freedom of Information Act and were told some £79m had been used on taxis getting children to and from schools.

Welsh Lib Dem press release

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£100m spent by Welsh councils in redundancy payments over past three years, Tories claim

September 2015

Story

A total of £100m was spent by Welsh councils in redundancy payments over the last three financial years, the Tories have claimed.

New figures from Freedom of Information Act responses and annual accounts show how the overall scale of payouts has climbed in the Welsh local government sector since 2012.

A Tory AM claimed the figures would be the “tip of the iceberg” if plans for Welsh council mergers go ahead.

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Rise in NHS 'managers' questioned

August 2015

Story

Health boards in Wales have come under fire for hiring additional managers at a time when frontline staff are continuing to face mounting pressures.

A Freedom of Information request by the Welsh Conservatives revealed that Betsi Cadwaladr, Aneurin Bevan and Powys Teaching Health Boards saw an increase in either senior managers or managers between 2012 and 2015, as well as an increase in their average salary.

Welsh Conservative press release

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Lib Dems reveal just 1% of police officers from minority backgrounds

August 2015

Story

POLICE Scotland has been called on to do more to recruit black and Asian officers after figures showed just 1 per cent of the force is from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats using Freedom of Information legislation showed there are 175 officers who identify as black, Asian or minority ethnic (Bame) in the force of more than 17,000.

Scottish Liberal Democrats press release

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The Conservatives want to close down any sort of transparency.  They want key information to be hoarded by the few. “Any plans to water down the Freedom of Information Act would badly affect our ability to not only hold the UK Government to account, but also the Welsh Government too. “Week after week major failings by the Labour Welsh Government are revealed via the FOI act.  That is for the good of democracy, so we can scrutinise the government and ensure improvement in our public services.  The Liberal Democrats will fight tooth and nail to ensure the Act isn’t watered down. “In contrast to the evasive Tory party, I believe it’s time to expand the powers of the FOI Act.  We want to see the biggest overhaul of freedom of information since its introduction by bringing housing associations, water companies and the ‘Big Six’ energy companies within the scope of the Act.  All of these should be opened up for public accountability.

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats

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Thousands of primary school children missing out on swimming lessons

August 2015

Story

Thousands of primary school children are missing out on vital swimming lessons, the Scottish Conservatives said today.

Figures obtained through Freedom of Information reveal that nearly 22,000 P4 to P7 pupils are being denied the chance to learn how to swim.

Scottish Conservatives press release

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ROYAL REBRANDING: GREER QUESTIONS HOSPITAL COSTS

August 2015

Story

HEALTH bosses in Glasgow have defended spending more than £100,000 renaming the city's new hospital after the Queen.

The Scottish Greens have described the £29,000 spent on the royal opening of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the £51,000 spent on plaques, the £19,000 on catering and £1,650 on signs as a "ridiculous waste".

In response to a Freedom of Information request, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed the costs:

Royal event: £29000 Catering: £18836 Plaques: £51000 Signs: £1650

Total: £100,486

Scottish Green Party press release

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Labour tries to gag Keogh on death rate concerns

May 2014

Story

Labour has been  accused of trying to cover up warnings over high death rates and lengthy waiting  times at hospitals in Wales.

An email written  by Sir Bruce Keogh, the medical director in England, said mortality rates at six  sites were ‘persistently high’ and criticised ‘worrying’ waits for cancer  tests.

But it has emerged  that officials in the devolved government tried to suppress the message’s  release because the information it contained would ‘prejudice the conduct of  public affairs’.

Sir Bruce’s email  to Dr Chris Jones, his counterpart in Wales, was only uncovered when it was  released under Freedom of Information laws.

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More than 1,100 Welsh food premises given a low hygiene rating

April 2014

More than 1,100 food premises across Wales have a zero or one rating for food hygiene, according to information obtained by Plaid Cymru.

Bridgend had the most zero rated premises at 11 with nine each in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Powys. In Swansea 98 premises was rated zero or one out of total of 1,309. The most premises with a one rating was, unsurprisingly, in Cardiff with 154. It has most food establishments at almost 2,500.

A Plaid Cymru supporter submitted a Freedom of Information request and information on ratings was also obtained from the Food Standards Agency website. http://ratings.food.gov.uk

Note: This information is, and was at the time of the request, available as open data at the Food Standards Agency website