MPs divide
There were two very contrasting debates about freedom of information in two different Commons committees today. If you only heard one of them you would form a very different impression of the general attitudes of MPs towards FOI.
In the afternoon in Westminster Hall the FOI enthusiasts from all parties queued up to denounce passionately the proposed restrictions on freedom of information which the government is planning to introduce.
Two of these speakers - LibDem Norman Baker and Labour's Tony Wright, chair of the Public Administration Committee - also took their chance to condemn the Private Member's Bill which aims to exempt MPs from FOI as 'bizarre' and 'absurd'. However neither of them was on the standing committee on that Bill which met this morning, when another cross-party collection of MPs equally passionately criticised FOI for obstructing them in their duties and supported David Maclean's Bill.
More comment will follow later on the details of the debates.
°ä´Ç³¾³¾±ð²Ô³Ù²õÌýÌý Post your comment