The briefing papers which led to the creation of the National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) are due to be released under a Freedom of Information request. This follows a three year campaign by Tony Collins of Computer Weekly. Whatever your views on NPfIT, they should make interesting reading.

Rod Ward's Informaticopia blog reports that "After three years of requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act Tony Collins of Computer Weekly has finally been successful in his campaign for the release of the briefing papers which led to the creation of the National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) in the UK's National Health Service."

The Computer Weekly website carries the full story ("Secrets of Blair briefing on NPfIT to be surrendered") and describes the history of the campaign. It seems that the Cabinet Office appeal against the Information Commissioner's ruling that the papers should be released was due to be heard on February 11, but this appeal has now been withdrawn. The papers are expected to be made available soon.

It has echoes of Rod's own successful campaign under FOI for the release of the Wells report on the NHS University .

Whatever your views of NPfIT and CfH, and whether or not they have been successful, and where they should go from here, (and the current 'reviews' that are maybe not reviews) the papers should make interesting reading. My personal view? - I think the Titanic is running out of decks to re-arrange the chairs.