Changes to the cost cap on requests could radically cut the proportion of requests under the FOI legislation that are answered.

Other changes would allow officials to add into the cost their “thinking time” when deciding to give answers further limiting the information that would be released.

One proposal would stop reporters from the same media group from making requests that cost more than £450 or £600 in the same three month period.

Previously the cost limit only applied to the actual requests for information, and not to the person asking for the information.

The latter idea in particular is astonishingly daft. The idea that you should effectively incentivise civil servants to think more slowly almost defies belief.

Some of the biggest brains in Whitehall might seize up completely.