U.K. seeks FOIA Company compliance.

The U.K. government wants its Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to cover private companies and contractors that "carry out functions of a public nature."

In a November consultation paper, the state said that firms under contract with a public body should be subject to the same scrutiny as others that must follow the act's rules.

According to Contractor UK, the government is considering building information-access obligations into service contracts with private-sector suppliers that deliver public services. Legal experts said the proposal would require private IT contractors who deliver outsourced services to handle FOI requests.

"Some organizations receive large amounts of taxpayers' money to carry out functions of a public nature but are not currently subject to the act," the government stated. "Some organizations have contracts to carry out important work that would otherwise be done by the public authority they contract with. For example, prisons run by HM Prison Service are currently covered by the act, but prisons operated by private contractors are not. In fulfilling those functions, it would seem appropriate that they be subject to the same scrutiny as public authorities within the scope of the act."

The government said that the proposal would not be enacted before affected firms were consulted about the possible cost and impact to their businesses.