Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to ensure that community rehabilitation companies operated by external providers are considered public bodies for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [199825]

Jeremy Wright, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for Prisons and Rehabilitation: Contracts with new community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) formed as part of our transforming rehabilitation market competition will be used to ensure that the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) obligations are met. This is in line with recommendations from the Justice Select Committee and current Government policy that emphasis should be placed on the use of contracts to maintain transparency, rather than a formal extension of the FOIA to private providers.

A code of practice will be issued later this year to remind public authorities of their obligations under FOIA in relation to information held by contractors. This will encourage public authorities and contractors to go beyond the minimum FOIA requirements, and provide a wider range of information than that which is within scope of FOIA. We will ensure a commitment to transparency in the operations of the new providers is maintained.

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