Has your MP signed the Parliamentary motion calling on the Government to honour its promises on charges for information under the Freedom of Information Act?

The motion (known as an "EDM") which the Campaign has helped to co-ordinate, follows press reports (see Guardian article of 18 May) that the Government is considering introducing substantially higher charges under the Act than those promised by ministers during its Parliamentary passage. In the House of Commons the then Home Secretary, Jack Straw, and other ministers, repeatedly promised that the public would be charged no more than 10% of the marginal cost of finding the information, plus copying costs. Download a list of these commitments.

It now appears that the Government is considering tearing up these promises and introducing fees that are as much as 6 to 10 times higher. If adopted, they would deter the majority of individual requesters, voluntary organisations and charities from using the Act when it comes fully into force in January 2005. Businesses could become the only bodies able to afford freedom of information.

These proposals do not appear to have been initiated by the Department for Constitutional Affairs which is taking a positive approach to the legislation. The final decision, which may not be in the Department's hands is likely to be taken by the end of June, so there is still time to make a difference.

The motion has been tabled by an all-party group of MPs made up of Tony Wright and Helen Jackson (Lab), Archy Kirkwood and David Heath (Lib Dem) and Richard Shepherd and John Greenway (Con).

You should ask your MP to sign EDM No 1269 on Charges for Information under the Freedom of Information Act. Details of MPs that have signed so far are below. New names will be added as soon as they become available. (Please note that Parliament is about to go into recess and that new names will not appear on the published list until 7 June).