The Department for Work and Pensions has lost an upper tribunal appeal over documents concerning the progress of universal credit implementation.
According to Inside Housing:
The documents include an independent project review on the problems so far encountered in rolling out the scheme, a risk register, an issues register of problems with the scheme, and a milestone schedule, detailing how far along the full implementation of the scheme is.
The department claimed release of the documents would have ‘a chilling effect’ on the workings of the DWP. The judge ruled there was a strong public interest in releasing the documents, and denied there would be a ‘chilling effect’ if the documents were released to the public. Previously, Information Commissioner ruled that the DWP should publish three of the reports but not the risks register. This decision was overruled in March 2014, when a first-tier information tribunal ruled that all four reports should be published.
The DWP was refused permission to appeal though may request an oral hearing before the upper tribunal.
Last year, a report from the National Audit Office stated ‘the programme suffered from weak management, ineffective control and poor governance’.