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UK Parliament to investigate Michael Gove’s ‘Orwellian’ FOI unit

Public administration and constitutional affairs committee to launch inquiry in the wake of openDemocracy’s reporting on government secrecy

By Peter Geoghegan
UK Parliament to investigate Michael Gove’s ‘Orwellian’ FOI unit
An inquiry into the Cabinet Office's Clearing House unit is expected to begin directly before or after parliament's summer recess
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A powerful Westminster committee is to launch an inquiry into a secretive unit at the heart of government that has been accused of ‘blacklisting’ Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent by journalists, campaigners and researchers.

The public administration and constitutional affairs committee (PACAC) is to announce a probe into the Cabinet Office’s controversial ‘Clearing House’ unit, and the operation of FOI across Whitehall, openDemocracy understands.

The investigation comes after openDemocracy won a legal victory, forcing the Cabinet Office to disclose information about the “Orwellian” unit run by Michael Gove’s department.

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