Speakers’ Presentations  (Day 1 - Thursday, 17th May 2012)

The first day features expert speakers on the latest challenges facing FOI professionals and delegates have plenty of opportunity to ask questions. There will be a sit-down lunch at the venue, and at the conclusion of the day, there will be a wine and canapés reception sponsored by Bristows. The topics at this Conference include: 

Chair’s Opening Remarks

Hazel Grant - Partner, Bristows

FOI Past Present and Future - A look at recent trends and developments in FOI and transparency

Graham Smith - Deputy Information Commissioner, ICO

The Protection of Freedoms Bill and Post Legislative Scrutiny: A Look Ahead

Jackie Gray - Director, Dickinson Dees

The Protection of Freedoms Bill amends the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and the process of Post Legislative Scrutiny of FOIA has begun. In this talk, Jackie Gray predicts what amendments are likely to come in to force and gives practical advice on how to prepare for those changes.

Releasing Data Sets: Issues with Anonymisation

Clare Sanderson - Executive Director of Information Governance, Health & Social Care Information Centre

Under the transparency agenda (and in the future under the Freedom of Information Act 2000), public bodies are required to publish a range of datasets. However, where datasets relate to an individual, it is critical that the published data are anonymised so that an individual cannot be identified. In this talk, Clare Sanderson sets out issues to be aware of when de-identifying personal data.

Why Transparency Matters

Tom Steinberg - Founder and Director, mySociety

Under the transparency agenda (and in the future under the Freedom of Information Act 2000), public bodies are required to publish a range of datasets. However, where datasets relate to an individual, it is critical that the published data are anonymised so that an individual cannot be identified. In this talk, Clare Sanderson sets out issues to be aware of when de-identifying personal data.

FOI Responses: the Good and the Bad

Jonathan Baines - Legal and Democratic Services, Buckinghamshire County Council

Taking the necessary time to adequately prepare an FOI response can shorten the overall time spent on the request. Conversely, getting it wrong can lead to awkward and costly reviews and appeals. In this talk, Jonathan Baines shows examples of good and bad practices when responding to FOI requests, and how you might be able to reduce the number of reviews and appeals.

FOI Appeals: A Practical Approach

Timothy Pitt-Payne QC - Barrister, 11KBW

The number of FOI appeals is on the increase, and Timothy Pitt-Payne gives practical advice on the handling of these appeals to the Information Rights Tribunal, as well as to the Upper Tribunal and higher appellate courts. This talk will include information on the various roles of the parties in the appeal process, case management issues, the role of witnesses, types of hearings, preparing the evidence, and more.

Promoting FOI Within the Organisation

Paul Gibbons - Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies, better known for blogging in his personal capacity as ‘FOI Man’

Often there is a negative view of FOI both inside and outside the organisation. In this talk, Paul Gibbons talks about how to fight negativity and promote compliance within the organisation in difficult times.

FOI Case Law Round-up and Future Predictions

Hazel Grant - Partner, Bristows

In this talk, Hazel Grant provides a review of the key FOI and EIR cases of the last 12 months, including ICO Decision Notices, Information Tribunal Decisions and a brief look at Freedom of Information decisions affecting European Community institutions. She reviews the practical application of these decisions for public sector information professionals and considers the important decisions to come in 2012.

The Future of Records Management

Lawrence Serewicz - Principal Information Management Officer, Durham County Council

A successful FOI programme must have good records management. In this talk, Lawrence Serewicz looks at the future of records management practice and gives advice on how to start preparing for that future today.