But many big state or local government projects, especially those conceived on the private-finance initiative (PFI) model, have a life of their own.

ECONOMIST: Building firms are struggling to emerge from the recession

The exception has been the private-finance initiative (PFI).

ECONOMIST: The investment attractions of infrastructure

However, successive and continuing government policies (and again this is an international phenomenon) of privatisation, contracting out, public-private partnerships, the private finance initiative, academy and free schools - all aspects of the private provision of public services - have increasingly entwined the public and private sectors and now focused attention on how far freedom of information should reach.

BBC: A Big Mac with extra FOIs, please