Freeing information

(24/10/07) UNISON has welcomed the decision of the Scottish information commissioner to order the release of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary's private management contract.The union said that this would be an important precedent for other contract information.Earlier this month a UNISON report revealed that using private firms to build and run schools and hospitals in Scotland was wasting billions of pounds.It showed how these financial figures were kept from the public due to claimed commercial confidentiality.Dave Watson, UNISON's scottish organiser, said: "This decision is good news and could be the first step to a return to transparency in public finances."We have consistently said that such bogus commercial confidentiality is being used to hide the rigged calculations used to justify PFI and PPP schemes. All the figures should be provided for public scrutiny." UNISON has a number of appeals to the information commissioner challenging attempts by public bodies to keep information about private finance initiative and public-private partnerships secret by citing demands by contractors."While this decision will help, it also shows how important it is to bring companies involved in PFI/PPP contracts under the scope of freedom of information legislation," Mr Watson said.UNISON's report At what cost? also lists immediate steps the Scottish government could take to prevent further billions being wasted.Mr Watson added: "We want to see all existing contracts reviewed and no new PPP contracts approved. Scottish government grants should be made available for all new capital projects on a proper level playing field basis, regardless of the method of procurement." More on UNISON's campaign for quality public servicesSee earlier story: PFI projects wasting billions, says UNISONDownload the report here: At what cost? [PDF]