Cabinet Office told to comply with Freedom of Information Act

Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, has said the Government cannot refuse to reveal the names of 24 public sector workers who earn more than £150,000 a year.

The privacy watchdog received the complaint last August from a woman who requested the information from the Cabinet Office, which refused because the individuals had not given their consent.

The woman took then took her case to the Information Commissioner on the grounds that the public had a right to know who these individuals were.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said that the complainant had specifically asked the organisation to consider the following points in her submission.

"Each of these individuals earns more than the Prime Minister and their salaries are paid for by the taxpayer. The Government has said it is committed to openness and transparency, evidence of which was demonstrated by their decision to reveal the salaries of individuals earning more than £150K in Non Departmental Public Bodies.

"The public has a right to know who of these bodies is earning over £150 000 in order to ensure the public are well informed about how public money is spent.

"Since this case involves the spending of public money I believe it would be fair and lawful for the names to be disclosed, in order to hold the public bodies to account. There is a strong public interest in doing so."

The Commissioner wrote to the Cabinet Office on 28 February, 13 May and 23 May 2011 asking for an explanation as to why it had refused the woman's request.

The Cabinet Office argued that the names of the individuals and their reasons for not consenting to the disclosure of their salary details are exempt from disclosure under Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act.

However, Christopher Graham said: "If you are earning over £150,000 working for a body that is funded by the public purse then there is now a legitimate expectation that your name and salary details will be disclosed.

"Being open and transparent is an integral part of being accountable to the taxpayer and, like it or not, this level of disclosure goes with the territory."

The Cabinet Office has 35 calendar days from the date of the decision notice to disclose the information, unless an appeal is served.