Thursday, 25 June 2015

No Transparency: British Museum Fluffs Another FOI


The British Museum claims the amounts paid to them for its art loans and professional consultations were “commercially sensitive”, exempting them from the disclosure requirements for public bodies under the UK’s Freedom of Information Act (CultureGrrl, 'Cash-Cow Art Loans in Abu Dhabi: What "Commercial Interests" of British Museum Would Be Harmed by Disclosure?', June 24, 2015). An evasive reply from Olivia Rickman, acting head of the British Museum’s press office is quoted.

One now wonders about that loan of a knocked-off Parthenon piece to the Hermitage when the rest of the world was in solidarity treating Mr Putin like a pariah over Donbas. How much did Russia pay the BM for that loan, and where did the money go? 

Just out of interest, is there anywhere at all a record of anyone getting a straight answer to a straight question from the BM which goes beyond "are you open next Bank Holiday Monday"?

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