DWP To Be Investigated Over Refusal To Publish Reviews Into Benefit Deaths

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing an investigation into its refusal to publish ‘secret’ reviews into 49 benefit-related deaths, it has reported today.

The information watchdog is to investigate the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over its refusal to publish secret reviews into 49 benefit-related deaths.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has launched the investigation into DWP’s failure to provide information requested by Disability News Service (DNS).

A series of DNS Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) requests eventually revealed how DWP has carried out 49 secret reviews into benefit-related deaths since February 2012.

Of the 49 “peer reviews”, it later emerged that 33 contained recommendations for improvements in procedures at either national or local level within DWP, while 40 of the 49 reviews were carried out following the suicide or apparent suicide of a benefit claimant.

But despite FoIA requests from DNS, and others, DWP has refused to publish the reviews, or their summaries, recommendations or conclusions, even with personal details of benefit claimants removed.

It claims that releasing the reviews – even with these details removed – could breach section 44 of the FoIA, because section 123 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 makes it an offence for anyone employed in social security administration to “disclose without lawful authority any information which he acquired in the course of that employment and which relates to a particular person”.

Now the ICO has said that it will investigate a complaint lodged by DNS into the failure to release the information.

https://welfaretales.wordpress.com/2015/04/17/dwp-to-be-investigated-over-refusal-to-publish-reviews-into-benefit-deaths/

So I should damn well think.

And THAT is the way it works

having been involved in FOI work at BOTH ends

where a situation like

could breach section 44 of the FoIA, because section 123 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 makes it an offence for anyone employed in social security administration to “disclose without lawful authority any information which he acquired in the course of that employment and which relates to a particular person”.

(given that although names can be removed, details may remain that could enable someone to identify the subject (i.e means of ,or place of suicide, or date of) etc.... and that removing THEM may well render the information "useless")


exists, the stock answer is to refuse the request, and wait for the ICO to investigate and then order (or not) the release


THAT way your ass is covered and you cannot be caught out in a catch 22 situation