Education bodies fall into ombudsman's net

A number of educational bodies will have to comply with openness rules after being brought within the jurisdiction of the parliamentary ombudsman. An additional 158 non-departmental bodies will now have to give facts and figures with major policy decisions, open up internal guidelines about dealings with the public, give reasons with administrative decisions and provide information about their service to the public. The education bodies include the Higher and Further Education Funding Councils, the Scottish Higher and Further Education Funding Councils and the Teacher Training Agency. The government has established an Advisory Group on Openness in the Public Sector as a first step towards a draft Freedom of Information Bill, due to be published in May.