Conservative MP David MacLean introduced a private members' bill
proposing that parliamentary business and communication between MPs
and public bodies be exempt from the FOI Act.
MPs from all parties, though, 'talked out' the amendments,
speaking for the debate's entire five allocated hours, making sure
that it did not progress beyond its third reading. The proposal now
goes to the end of the queue of private members' bills.
The FOI Act faces a threat from the Government's proposals to
limit its scope severely by lowering the cost threshold beyond
which requests can be refused and increasing the range of activity
which can be counted towards that cost.
Some observers of MacLean's proposed amendments were surprised
that they were passed through Parliament's committee stage, where
many proposals are weeded out unless they have the support of
Government. It led some to surmise that MacLean's efforts to curb
the Act further had the tacit support of the Government, but this
was denied by the Government.
MPs opposed to MacLean's curbs worried that it would curtail the
public's right of access to information about MPs' travel and
expenses.
MacLean told reporters that the opposition in Parliament, when
many MPs had already returned to their constituencies, effectively
ended any chance of success his amendments had.
"They have sabotaged the bill," the former Tory whip said. "They
have wrecked it, they have talked it out. That is a legitimate
thing to do. I think they are wrong, but I cannot condemn the
strategy that I have used myself."
MacLean said that the amendments were aimed at ensuring that
MPs' constituency correspondence remained private and confidential.
"I still think there is a genuine problem and I think that
parliament sooner rather than later will address it," he said.
