Freedom of Information Bill — Second Reading — 7 Dec 1999

The Majority voted against condemning the Freedom of Information Bill[3] by rejecting a motion which would have read:

This House declines to give a Second Reading to the Freedom of Information Bill because it will result in greater secrecy than is the case under the existing Code of Practice, because it fails to promote open government instead of secrecy or transfer from Ministers and officials to Parliament the final decision over the release of information, and because it represents a significant dilution of the proposals in the White Paper, Your Right to Know (Cm 3818),[2] and disregards the recommendations from the Select Committee on Public Administration.

• [1] Session Oral Evidence 1998-1999, Public Administration Committee.
• [2] Your Right to Know - The Government's proposals for a Freedom of Information Act December 1997, Command Paper 3818.
• [3] Freedom of Information Bill February 2000, House of Commons.

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