University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
www.epigram.org.uk
29th February 2016
Russell Group says: your questions are too costly
Issue 298
Features
Epigram interviews Last Dambuster, George ‘Johnny’ Johnson
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Russell Group want to block Freedom of Information requests due to expense - yet University admit that they don’t record the cost Ben Parr Investigations Editor The University of Bristol does not record how much money they spend on answering Freedom of Information requests, despite the Russell Group citing the ‘cost burden’ as a major reason when asking the government to exempt them from the legislation. In December 2015, the Russell Group’s director of policy, Dr Tim Bradshaw, wrote a letter to the Government asking them to exempt Russell Group universities - which includes Bristol - from the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act (2000).
The act, currently undergoing a review, requires public bodies to supply information to individuals who ask for it, providing that the institution actually holds the information and that it does not exceed the £450 cost limit, or 18 hour time limit to retrieve. The letter sent to the government on behalf of Russell Group universities, such as Bristol, argues that universities incur a considerable cost in answering FoI requests. Particularly, the letter states that they have estimated the average cost of answering a FoI request as being £155 per request. Using the FoI Act, Epigram asked the University what the estimated
cost of answering FoI costs to Bristol is over the course of a year. However, the University’s response was that ‘The University does not record estimated costs associated with responding to Freedom of Information requests, therefore no relevant information is held.’ Jem Collins, Chairperson of the Student Publication Associations (SPA) tols Epigram: ‘It’s incredibly concerning that universities are simultaneously saying the costs of FoI are too high, yet appearing to have no idea what these costs are. Regardless of the argument the act is crucial for democracy regardless of cost, it does appear to take wind out of their reasoning if they can’t even provide figures
for these supposed high costs.’ The University do maintain, however, that the costs are significant. ‘Although we do not quantify the specific costs of responding to FoI requests in terms of individual staff time, there is no question they involve considerable resource across the institution both centrally’, a University Spokesperson told Epigram. During 2015 the University received 356 FoI requests. These requests are managed by the University’s Information Rights Officer, a full time role that largely consists of dealing with these requests. continued on page 3
‘Safe Space’ policy referendum rejected
8
Comment Oluwaseun Matiluko contemplates what it means to be a black university student Page 11
Living Epigram interviews Bristol Graduate Tom Kelsey, founder of Page 18
Food Izzie Fernades revels in new lunch stall, AVO
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Sport Bristol students conquer The Annual Members Meeting, self-described as ‘The Student Union’s largest democratic event’, was held on February 18th in the Anson Rooms, with over 300 attendees as the meeting opened. A total of 11 motions were proposed, of which only 8 were debated due to time constraints. Of
these, 7 motions passed. However, Bristol SU bylaws state that there must be a minimum of 330 people present to reach quorum and the failure to do so now means that all motions passed must be ratified by another vote at the next Student Council. continued page 3
the Atlantic
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