Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA has again challenged OFMdFM to publish the information as outlined in a decision notice from the Information Commissioner regarding their market research into the proposed peace centre at the former Maze Prison site. Mr Nesbitt challenged the First Minister on the issue during Topical Questions in the Assembly today.

Mr Nesbitt said:

“Today I was astonished to learn from the First Minister during Topical Questions that he and the deputy First Minister are still to have a conversation about whether to release the information as outlined in the decision notice from the Information Commissioner, given that the 35 calendar days they have to provide the information will run out at the end of this week.

“Given that some of the information we first requested on 24 January 2013 has been described as “innocuous” by the Information Commissioner, I find it bizarre that OFMdFM haven’t published it yet.

“I had been hopeful that this decision notice, and indeed the one in relation to a Freedom of Information request from the News Letter, would see a cultural change in OFMdFM’s attitude to openness and transparency, yet today we had the reference to Ministerial Veto. However, maybe the First Minister wasn’t playing it as cool as first thought because I suspect he will have to ask Hansard to correct his reference to the potential use of a Ministerial Veto under Section 35 of the relevant legislation, because it is, in fact, Section 53 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

“Using this get out clause may be legal, but it does nothing to reassure the electorate that they are being taken seriously by the First Minister and deputy First Minister, who have already tried to contend, unsuccessfully, that the public would not understand the research.

“Let’s stop the bluster and let’s see the market research.’