Freedom of Information : This page has been downloaded from the Campaign for Freedom of Information "http://www.cfoi.org.uk/edm845.html"
The Campaign for Freedom of Information

 

 

Parliamentary motion on proposed new restrictions to the Freedom of Information Act

 

An all-party coalition of MPs has tabled a motion urging the government to drop its plans to severely restrict the Freedom of Information Act.

A list of MPs that have signed the motion is shown below. If your MP has not signed, please encourage them to do so. You should ask them to sign Early Day Motion 845 on Freedom of Information. You can write to your MP at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA or via the TheyWorkForYou website.

The motion, which the Campaign has helped to co-ordinate, refers to draft regulations which would make it substantially easier for authorities to refuse FOI requests on costs grounds. A report commissioned by the government suggests that up to 20,000 requests which currently have to be dealt with each year could be refused on cost grounds under the new proposals. The report estimates this could save up to £11.8m annually. The Campaign believes that the damage done by the proposals would be out of all proportion to the relatively modest savings.

The motion has been sponsored by the following MPs:

  • Tony Wright (Lab) (Chair of the Public Administration select committee)
  • Alan Beith (Lib Dem) (Chair of the Constitutional Affairs select committee)
  • Dominic Grieve (Con) (Shadow Attorney General)
  • Richard Shepherd (Con) (Parliamentary co-chair of the Campaign for Freedom of Information)
  • Mark Fisher (Lab) (Sponsor of the 1992 Right to Know Bill)
  • Simon Hughes (Lib Dem) (Spokesman on Constitutional Affairs)

The Campaign has sent this letter and briefing to MPs concerning the motion.

 

Early Day Motion No. 845 Freedom of Information

Supported by 136 MPs as of 29 May 2007

"That this House expresses concern that the proposed new fees regulations under the Freedom of Information Act would allow authorities to refuse on cost grounds a high proportion of requests which they are currently required to answer; notes that the Government's consultation document recognises that this will have a greater impact on journalists, hon. Members, campaign groups and researchers than on private individuals; considers that such changes would undermine the Act's contribution to increased discussion of public affairs, accountability and trust in the work of public authorities; and calls on the Government not to proceed with the proposals."

 

Sponsors:

Tony Wright (Lab)
Alan Beith (Lib Dem)
Dominic Grieve (Con)
Richard Shepherd (Con)
Mark Fisher (Lab)
Simon Hughes (Lib Dem)

Signed by:

Diane Abbott (Lab)
Graham Allen (Lab)
David Amess (Con)
Richard Bacon (Con)
Norman Baker (Lib Dem)
Gregory Barker (Con)
Roger Berry (Lab)
Peter Bottomley (Con)
Colin Breed (Lib Dem)
Malcolm Bruce (Lib Dem)
Richard Burden (Lab)
David Burrowes (Con)
Lorely Burt (Lib Dem)
Vincent Cable (Lib Dem)
Gregory Campbell (DUP)
Ronnie Campbell (Lab)
Martin Caton (Lab)
Greg Clark (Con)
Katy Clark (Lab)
Nick Clegg (Lib Dem)
Harry Cohen (Lab)
Frank Cook (Lab)
Jeremy Corbyn (Lab)
Jim Cousins (Lab)
Ann Cryer (Lab)
Edward Davey (Lib Dem)
Dai Davies (Ind)
Quentin Davies (Con)
Janet Dean (Lab)
Jonathan Djanogly (Con)
Jim Dobbin (Lab)
Frank Dobson (Lab)
Stephen Dorrell (Con)
Mark Durkan (SDLP)
Louise Ellman (Lab)
Bill Etherington (Lab)
Paul Farrelly (Lab)
Timothy Farron (Lib Dem)
Lynne Featherstone (Lib Dem)
Mark Field (Con)
Don Foster (Lib Dem)
Christopher Fraser (Con)


 

 

Party Totals:

Labour 55
Lib Dem 44
Conservative 30
Plaid Cymru 2
Democratic Unionist Party 2
Social Democratic and Labour Party 1
Ulster Unionist Party 1
Independent 1

 

 

 

 

 


Andrew George (Lib Dem)
Neil Gerrard (Lab)
Ian Gibson (Lab)
Sandra Gidley (Lib Dem)
Roger Godsiff (Lab)
James Gray (Con)
Nia Griffith (Lab)
Stephen Hammond (Con)
Greg Hands (Con)
Evan Harris (Lib Dem)
Nick Harvey (Lib Dem)
John Hemming (Lib Dem)
Sylvia Hermon (UUP)
David Heyes (Lab)
Kate Hoey (Lab)
Paul Holmes (Lib Dem)
Adam Holloway (Con)
Jimmy Hood (Lab)
Kelvin Hopkins (Lab)
John Horam (Con)
Martin Horwood (Lib Dem)
David Howarth (Lib Dem)
Jeremy Hunt (Con)
Mark Hunter (Lib Dem)
Brian Iddon (Lab)
Glenda Jackson (Lab)
Sian James (Lab)
Lynne Jones (Lab)
Daniel Kawczynski (Con)
Paul Keetch (Lib Dem)
Charles Kennedy (Lib Dem)
Piara Khabra (Lab)
Peter Kilfoyle (Lab)
Susan Kramer (Lib Dem)
Norman Lamb (Lib Dem)
David Laws (Lib Dem)
Mark Lazarowicz (Lab)
John Leech (Lib Dem)
Elfyn LLwyd (Plaid Cymru)
Andrew Love (Lab)
Anne Main (Con)
Humfrey Malins (Con)
Eric Martlew (Lab)


 

 

 

 

 


Michael Mates (Con)
William McCrea (DUP)
John McDonnell (Lab)
Michael Meacher (Lab)
Austin Mitchell (Lab)
Madeleine Moon (Lab)
Julie Morgan (Lab)
Malcolm Moss (Con)
Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem)
Lembit Opik (Lib Dem)
John Penrose (Con)
Gordon Prentice (Lab)
John Pugh (Lib Dem)
Alan Reid (Lib Dem)
Linda Riordan (Lab)
Paul Rowen (Lib Dem)
Bob Russell (Lib Dem)
Adrian Sanders (Lib Dem)
Alan Simpson (Lab)
Keith Simpson (Con)
Bob Spink (Con)
Ian Stewart (Lab)
Gavin Strang (Lab)
Graham Stringer (Lab)
Andrew Stunnell (Lib Dem)
Jo Swinson (Lib Dem)
Matthew Taylor (Lib Dem)
Sarah Teather (Lib Dem)
John Thurso (Lib Dem)
Paul Truswell (Lab)
Des Turner (Lab)
Rudi Vis (Lab)
Robert Walter (Con)
Betty Williams (Lab)
Hywel Williams (PC)
Mark Williams (Lib Dem)
Stephen Williams (Lib Dem)
Phil Willis (Lib Dem)
Nicholas Winterton (Con)
Mike Wood (Lab)
Anthony D Wright (Lab)
Jeremy Wright (Con)
Derek Wyatt (Lab)
Richard Younger-Ross (Lib Dem)

 

 
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