Yes, I say that, and I'd be happy to speak a little more about it.
When you grant the Information Commissioner order-making power, you change the dynamics of the relationship with the agencies he's overseeing. On one day of the week, the Information Commissioner would be seeking to persuade people to do what he believes is the right thing to do and release certain information. The next week, he may be ordering them to do it.
Over the years, Commissioner Reid said he gets 95%-plus compliance with requests. It's very high. It's the controversial and difficult cases that get the publicity. In most cases, mediation, persuasion, and publicity work very effectively.
I think there's a false modesty among some commissioners who think they have to have real power. If you give them real power, they can make mistakes; they can order inappropriate actions. Then to whom are they held accountable?
I am a firm believer in the ombudsman model.