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| MPs' info exemption bill revived | MPs' info exemption bill revived |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A bill which would exempt MPs from the Freedom of Information Act is to be debated again - a week after its critics thought they had killed it off. | A bill which would exempt MPs from the Freedom of Information Act is to be debated again - a week after its critics thought they had killed it off. |
| Opponents "talked out" the private member's bill introduced by former Tory chief whip David Maclean last week. | Opponents "talked out" the private member's bill introduced by former Tory chief whip David Maclean last week. |
| But since no other private bills are ready for debate, it will return to the Commons on Friday. | But since no other private bills are ready for debate, it will return to the Commons on Friday. |
| Mr Maclean says the law is needed to protect constituents; critics say it is hypocritical to exempt MPs and peers. | Mr Maclean says the law is needed to protect constituents; critics say it is hypocritical to exempt MPs and peers. |
| 'Cover-up' claim | 'Cover-up' claim |
| "When we write on behalf of constituents... we must be able to look them in the eye and say that in all circumstances what they tell us will not get out," Mr Maclean told MPs. | "When we write on behalf of constituents... we must be able to look them in the eye and say that in all circumstances what they tell us will not get out," Mr Maclean told MPs. |
| "It is like the relationship with a priest. We will write to an authority with their problem, but we guarantee that that information will not be leaked by us, or get into the public domain." | "It is like the relationship with a priest. We will write to an authority with their problem, but we guarantee that that information will not be leaked by us, or get into the public domain." |
| It will be the height of hypocrisy if Parliament, having passed the Freedom of Information legislation, decided that we should be exempt from it David Winnick | It will be the height of hypocrisy if Parliament, having passed the Freedom of Information legislation, decided that we should be exempt from it David Winnick |
| But critics say these are already exempted under the act, unless there is a strong public interest case and that data protection laws provide extra protection. | |
| They believe the intention is to cover up information on subjects like MPs' expenses and allowances. | They believe the intention is to cover up information on subjects like MPs' expenses and allowances. |
| Last Friday a handful of MPs, including Lib Dems Norman Baker and Simon Hughes and Labour's David Winnick, kept the debate going for five hours, so the bill ran out of Parliamentary time. | Last Friday a handful of MPs, including Lib Dems Norman Baker and Simon Hughes and Labour's David Winnick, kept the debate going for five hours, so the bill ran out of Parliamentary time. |
| Usually there are other private members' bills ready for debate - and a bill which is talked out goes to the bottom of the queue for private member's bills, with virtually no chance of becoming law. | Usually there are other private members' bills ready for debate - and a bill which is talked out goes to the bottom of the queue for private member's bills, with virtually no chance of becoming law. |
| Mr Winnick said it appeared that Mr Maclean had enjoyed some "extraordinary luck". | Mr Winnick said it appeared that Mr Maclean had enjoyed some "extraordinary luck". |
| He added: "It will be the height of hypocrisy if Parliament, having passed the Freedom of Information legislation, decided that we should be exempt from it." | He added: "It will be the height of hypocrisy if Parliament, having passed the Freedom of Information legislation, decided that we should be exempt from it." |