- Category:
- Common Interest - Politics
- Description:
- This group is for supporters of the Freedom of Information Act and open government.
- Privacy Type:
- Open: All content is public.
Protect Freedom of Information!
Join- Name:
- Protect Freedom of Information!
- Category:
- Common Interest - Politics
- Description:
- This group is for supporters of the Freedom of Information Act and open government.
- Privacy Type:
- Open: All content is public.
- News:
- 25 February 2009
Jack Straw has vetoed the publication of minutes of key Cabinet meetings held in the run-up to the Iraq war in 2003, which the Information Tribunal ruled last month must be published under the Freedom of Information Act: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7907991.stm
--
21 January 2009
...and we won! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7842402.stm
http://www.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/?p=1808
Congratulations to everyone involved in the campaign. But please stay a member of the group - this is the second attempt to exclude MPs' expenses from the Freedom of Information Act in as many years and we will keep this group alive just in case they try it again.
--
20 January 2009
Jo Swinson's EDM now has a number: 492 (http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=37516)
Report in the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1123167/Bid-shame-MPs-expenses-cover-up.html
Letter in the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jan/20/identiy-cards-politics-technology
--
17 January 2009
Jo Swinson MP has announced that she will be tabling an Early Day Motion (a sort of petition which MPs sign to express an opinion) on Monday calling for the Government to scrap this proposal. Her EDM reads:
"Freedom of Information (Parliament) Order 2009
"That this House notes with concern the provisions in the Freedom of Information (Parliament) Order 2009 to exempt remove the expenses of Members of Parliament and Peers from the scope of the Freedom of Information Act'; notes that this order will single out MPs and Peers in a special category as the only paid public officials who will note have to disclose full details of their expenses; notes with concern the regressive effect of this Order on Parliamentary transparency and the detrimental impact it will have on Parliament in the eyes of the public; calls on Ministers to block or repeal the Order in the interest of MPs' and Peers' accountability to members of the public."
--
16 January 2009
According to the Guardian, Harriet Harman is planning to exempt MPs and peers from the Freedom of Information Act: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jan/16/mps-expenses-exemption
--
29 October 2007
Just a short note to inform you that on Thursday 25 October, the Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw announced the launch of a government consultation to look at extending the scope of existing freedom of information laws. They will also be reviewing existing data protection legislation to reduce abuse of personal data. And Mr Straw also confirmed that they will not now be pursuing the Blair government's plans to limit freedom of information requests on costs grounds and to increase charges for requests.
Guardian article: http://politics.guardian.co.uk/constitution/story/0,,2198925,00.html
Consultation paper: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/cp2707.htm
We would encourage everyone on this group to contribute to the consultation paper to demonstrate that Freedom of Information is an issue that people care deeply about.
But in general, this is good news.
--
13 June 2007
As of 5pm today, the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill has been declared dead by the House of Lords authorities. With no-one willing to sponsor it (not a single one of the 700+ peers), it can't go any further.
Thanks a lot to all of you who have diligently written to peers and MPs on this. You have clearly made a difference.
Of course, in Parliament, no legislation is ever truly dead. Like Friday the 13th films, bad laws have a nasty habit of coming back. In addition, the government is still making noises about its desire to weaken existing FoI legislation in other ways. This has to be stopped.
On the bright side, Tom Brake MP proposed his Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No 2) Bill in Parliament yesterday. This proposed a range of sweeping measures to STRENGTHEN FoI. More here: http://tinyurl.com/24dqu7
Thanks again - and keep subscribed!
James Graham
http://www.unlockdemocracy.org.uk
