Watchdog attacks official secrecy

Westminster's watchdog has launched a stinging attack on official secrecy and rebuked ministers for withholding information from the public.

Sir Michael Buckley, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, threatened to withdraw from investigating complaints about secrecy unless the Government changed its attitude and became more open. In a highly critical report, Sir Michael, who retires this year, accused ministers of excessive delays when replying to requests for facts and of "an underlying determination" not to release them. He said Whitehall departments had repeatedly flouted the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which is supposed to regulate the flow of official data.

Sir Michael said: "In some cases departments are resisting the release of information ... because [it] could cause them embarrassment or political inconvenience."