As the new information commissioner Christopher Graham takes up his new responsibilities at the end of this month, his thoughts will immediately turn to his in -tray. With the furore surrounding MPs' expenses and the thorny issue of disclosure still swirling around Whitehall and beyond, it looks like he will face a testing first few months.
Graham's tenure is likely to be as challenging, if not more so, than that of his predecessor. Richard Thomas made considerable progress in campaigning against poor data protection practices and seeking to extend the regulatory powers of the Commission. He did this whilst wrestling with a number of high-profile issues such as ID cards and the Universal Child Database.
Graham's experience at the Advertising Standards Authority will stand him in good stead in navigating the choppy waters ahead. He will face immediate problems whilst at the same time will need to consider the continuing challenges posed by the multi-stakeholder environment in which he will operate.
Inflexible IT systems and European standards are other major issues likely to occupy his time. He will need to display patience tempered with a hunger to make the most of the modest resources at his disposal. Graham brings with him a reputation for being thorough and fair minded. However he will also need to champion his own agenda in the face of inertia or even outright opposition from a wide range of influential stakeholders. So what lies in store for the new man?
One of the main frustrations for the information commissioner's office to date has been its perceived lack of "teeth". The office was given many requirements to fulfil but were not given the proper means to achieve them. The Commission was helped significantly after it was granted new, increased powers last year.
Effective and efficient information and data protection remain critical
However, the new regime will need to reflect on where best to direct those powers and whether more "teeth" will be needed in the form of further legislative backing from government. Effective and efficient information and data protection in the public sector remains critical if the government is to lead by example and encourage public confidence through increased transparency and through maximising the value for money from public investment.
With only a small team in place to monitor a huge playing field, under resourcing will continue to be a key issue. The quantities of data and records being used and stored has exploded in the past decade, yet this proliferation in data and the introduction of FOI requests has not been matched by the levels of resource allocated to the information commissioner's office. By carefully selecting his priorities, Graham will send out a clear message of intent, which will be especially important, particularly at a time when public expenditure is constrained.
The new commissioner will also face the unenviable challenge of wading through the current guidance "soup". Last year's Hannigan report stimulated a range of guidance to departments in a variety of forms. Much of this was welcome and necessary. That process raised questions about the need for greater coherence and consistency across government.
Graham will need to take stock and address this issue in order to cut through any confusion and ensure this flood of activity is translated into effective action on the ground.
The first 90 days of his tenure will provide a litmus test of whether the Graham era will herald a new departure in the way that the government treats its vital electronic and paper records and open up new ways of addressing the underlying problems of culture and of inflexible systems. For that to happen, however, he will need his teeth.
Gordon Brockington is director of Public Sector, Iron Mountain UK
From Bubb's Blog
From Whitehall Watch
