Tribunal crucial to Gateway future

Confidentiality is crucial to the monitoring process, says the Office of Government Commerce

Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg says public scrutiny is vital

The outcome of a four-day Information Tribunal in London this week could have serious implications for the government’s Gateway review scheme for monitoring major programmes.

The hearing is to consider an appeal from the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), which runs Gateway, against an Information Commissioner request that the Gateway Zero report for the ID card programme be made public under the Freedom of Information Act.

The red/amber/green rated reports produced by Gateway teams are not published. The OGC says confidentiality is crucial to allow candid discussion.

The tribunal decision will have serious consequences, says Eric Woods, government practice director at analyst Ovum.

‘A key question is how to retain the frankness needed for a thorough review, though that could be addressed in terms of the way the results are presented,’ he said.

‘There needs to be a process where the major stakeholders can address problems without feeling under pressure in terms of the way the project is monitored,’ he said.

The Liberal Democrats, whose request for the ID card Gateway reports in January 2005 started the debate, say public scrutiny is of paramount importance.

‘The more the government evades scrutiny, the more public suspicion will grow that it is an unwieldy, wasteful and unnecessary project,’ said home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg.