Commission challenged on Galloway inquiry disclosure

Finance | Gareth Jones | 16 May 2011

The Court of Appeal has ordered judges to reconsider whether the Charity Commission should be forced to disclose the case files on its statutory inquiry into George Galloway’s Mariam Appeal.

The ruling is the latest in a long-running battle being waged by journalist Dominic Kennedy, who argues that the files should be made available under the Freedom on Information Act.

The Commission refused to release the files under section 32 of the Act, which exempts a public authority from releasing documents held for the purpose of an inquiry.

The case will now be heard by the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights), which will be asked to consider whether the exemption should still apply once the inquiry has finished.

The Commission’s stance has previously been upheld by the Information Commissioner, the Information Tribunal and the High Court.

"Not sufficiently vigilant"

Galloway (pictured) set up the Mariam Appeal in 1998 to provide medical aid to suffering Iraqis and to campaign for the lifting of Western sanctions on the country.

The Commission's 2004 inquiry found that the trustees "were not sufficiently vigilant” with regard to improper donations.

A spokesman for Galloway said that the issue was a matter between the Commission and the judge.

"George is quite sanguine about anything that will happen. We're going back many years, and I'm not sure what anyone expects to find."

Directory: Charity Commission

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