MPs and the Freedom of Information Trojan Horse
The BBC is hosting a very good blog called Open Secrets by Martin Rosenbaum that I have enjoyed reading over the last couple of days as MPs voted for a Bill to exempt themselves from the Freedom of Information Act.
The arguments for the Bill have largely been expressed in terms of exempting personal correspondence from MPs concerning sensitive issues raised by constituents. The Bill would do this. But it would also do two other things which are not being highlighted by its supporters.
Firstly, it does generally exempt Parliament from FoI. This means that any future disclosure of facts such as on MPs’ expenses can only happen on a voluntary basis. There will be no legal right for citizens to know this information in future, nor other potentially interesting facts about the workings of Parliament. Instead, we will have to go cap-in-hand asking if Parliament wouldn’t mind please publishing some documents.
Secondly, it exempts all correspondence by MPs from disclosure, not just that which relates to personal constituents. So if in future a government department or agency is asked to disclose papers relating to an issue of public importance then they will have to hold back any MPs’ correspondence relating to that issue. We will know what members of the public, NGOs, Ministers and any other individual or lobby group said about an issue but what MPs said will be secret unless they choose to disclose it.
As these other implications are much greater than the supposed purpose of the legislation then I think it can be accurately described as a Trojan Horse Bill.
There is an excellent note by the House of Commons Library (PDF File) that has chapter and verse on the Bill and is well worth reading for anyone following this issue. You can also follow progress on the Bill and all its proceedings on the Parliamentary website.
I’m outraged by this latest double standard. I think our glorious MPs should lead by example. They want more CCTV cameras? Let them install them in their own bars, offices and homes first so we can see what they’re up to 24/7. They want to limit free speech? Let them remove their own parliamentary privilege against libel. They want an open society? No exemptions to Freedom of Information then! … We should not let them watch us without us being able to watch and scrutinise them.
Hi Richard,
A long time since we last spoke (I guess 1995 in Bath). Good to see you campaigning on this issue. This vote by MPs is a deeply depressing day for British democracy.
Best wishes,
Jeremy
I fervently hope Their Lordships will throw out this insidious bill that requires MPs to be relieved of the responsibility under the FOI act.
Having said that, many MPs already adopt a non reply attitude, failing to answer correctly questions put to them or worse,not replying at all. I place among these Mr Stephen Timms.Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Purnell MP present Pensions Minister and Mr Leigh Lewis Permanent Secretary to the DWP. To answer the many questions put to them correctly, would mean that pensioners who live in overseas countries and whose pensions are “frozen” by this and previous governments would have their pensions uprated to the level of their Peers. All 96% of them.
If the only way to deny us is a “Non Reply” then it is a cowardly method to adopt. If I thought they would understand its meaning I would send each a white feather!
Dear Richard,
I fully support your efforts to see to it that MPs are held to account in respect of providing information under current FOI laws. I cannot imagine what this country would become were MPs and, for that matter, any public officials/bodies to become exempt from FOI provisions.
All citizens should be subject to the same set of laws, regardless of their positions. That is the basic and most fundamental premise of democracy.
I cannot stand by idly and watch the last vestiges of our democracy being taken from us. Democracy is worth fighting for. We must surely do so in our own country if we are to be able to do so in any other part of the world.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to lend my support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Howard Fredrics
You can do something, sign the petition against parliament’s exclusion from FOI
http://www.ourcampaign.org.uk/foi
This is just another of the Labour Goverments atempts at discrimination. It discriminates in their favour against the common man, as in the case of smokers (of which I am one of the many). I would like to know how the Goverment justify open discrimination in this fashion for themselves, and yet everyone else is made to tow the non discriminatory line, and behave in a so called politically correct fashion, surely this is an infringement of the so called human rights, which are supposed to be supported by the European courts in Strasbourg, Bah! and Piffle! they are just riding the priviliged band wagon. And its about time someone put a stop to it. If I knew how, I would.
Best Wishes for future campaigns
Nigel Pugh
Richard,
After watching Dispatches at 8pm on Ch4 today 24th September, I was amazed to see that the one law for you and one for us policy, is still in use cross party, in the house of commons.
Politicians still ask why so few of the population vote at general elections, while the reason is so blatantly clear. Both trust and respect must be earned and if politicians refuse to show both their expenses and receipts, its yet another nail in the coffin for real democracy.
Congratulations to you for appearing in the program and what a pity that so many others refused, as we all continue to wonder why?