Lobbyists take NIO to task on 'information gulf'

A lobby group have claimed that an "information gulf" which has developed since the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly is obstructing MLAs from keeping tabs on developments within government departments.

Political lobbyers, Stormont Strategy, say a straw poll conducted amongst MLAs has revealed an alarming lack of information – "bordering on obstruction", they claim – which is hampering attempts by locally elected representatives to track plans and progress within local government.

Richard Gordon, Managing Director of the company, warned that the NIO has a democratic duty to be open and transparent and to provide information willingly rather than reluctantly.

“MLAs are still elected representatives and are spending as much time as before working for their constituents on issues with which they have been deeply concerned, involved and informed – a fact recognised by the continuance of their albeit reduced salaries," he said.

"But that is a waste of taxpayers’ money if civil servants and Ministers now effectively hide behind the smokescreen of direct rule.

“MLAs have told us of the near impossibility of getting clear answers to questions about: the progress of legislation; of NIO priorities; of plans to carry forward measures which they had initiated in the Assembly; and of possible changes to spending plans.

"Where formerly the Chairman of an Assembly Committee, or a party spokesman on a particular subject could expect full co-operation from senior officials in departments, that has now largely disappeared. Even the Committee clerks, who are still in post, find themselves blocked."

Mr Gordon said that it was insufficient to have to rely on questions in the House of Commons and the odd press release as the only way of "dragging information out of Ministers, who with limited time each week in Northern Ireland, and with perhaps three Departments to oversee, devoted less than 10 hours per week to each".

"The power has reverted to the civil servants on whom they must out of necessity depend and that cannot be right," he added.

He called on the Secretary of State to initiate a system designed to fully inform: "Each Permanent Secretary should be obliged to publish a fortnightly bulletin on the work of his or her Department, providing updates and progress of measures and plans, including spending, which are in the public domain. Anything less is a denial of open government."

(SP)