Ministers have refused to publish the Department of Health's risk register, a statement of potential risks arising from NHS changes - triggering opposition accusations they are seeking to bury bad news ahead of the Queen's speech.
In securing Cabinet approval to exercise ministerial veto over the publication of the documents, which the Information Tribunal ruled should be released, health secretary, Andrew Lansley said there needs to be a ‘safe space' where officials can give ministers frank advice when formulating policies.
Mr Lansley said: ‘Had we not taken this decision, it is highly likely that future sensitive risk registers would turn into anodyne documents, and be worded quite differently with civil servants worrying about how they sound to the public rather than giving Ministers frank policy advice.'
His decision to use the veto - only the fourth time it has been applied - rather than appeal against Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham's ruling, was made because Mr Lansley views the matter as an ‘exceptional case where there is a fundamental disagreement on where the public interest lies', a Department of Health official claimed.
A spokesman for the Information Commissioner said the data watchdog would need to study Mr Lansley's statement of reasons for imposing the ministerial veto, adding the Commissioner's formal report would be presented to Parliament next week.
Labour MP John Healey, who first requested release of the risk register in November 2010 said the last minute veto was ‘a desperate act which will backfire badly'.
Mr Healey said: ‘Ministers have made the announcement in the very last hour of the last day, trying to bury this bad news on the eve of the Queen's Speech. ‘
‘Risk has been at the heart of concern about the longest legislation and biggest reform in NHS history. Lack of evidence and confidence about how well the Government was prepared to manage the risks was a major cause of professional, public and Parliamentary alarm at the plans. By keeping the risk register secret, ministers have missed the chance to reassure people they're on top of the risks.'
