House of Commons Public Bill Committee Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2006 - 07
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Other Bills before Parliament

1

House of Commons

Wednesday 7th February 2007

Public Bill Committee Proceedings

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill

[FIRST Sitting]

David Maclean

Agreed to  1

Clause  1  page  1,  line  3,  leave out subsections (2) and (3) and insert—

‘(2)
In Part 1 of Schedule 1 (public authorities) omit paragraphs 2 and 3 (which relate

to the House of Commons and House of Lords).

(3)
After section 34 insert—

“34A
Communications with members of the House of Commons

(1)
Information is exempt information if it is held only by virtue of being

contained in any communication between a member of the House of

Commons, acting in his capacity as such, and a public authority.

(2)
The duty to confirm or deny does not arise in relation to information

which is (or if it were held by the public authority to which the request is

made would be) exempt information by virtue of subsection (1).’.

(4)
In section 63 (removal of exemptions: historical records generally), in subsection

(1), after “33”, insert “34A,”.

(5)
Omit the following—

(a)
section 2(3)(e),

(b)
section 36(5)(d) and (e) and (7), and

(c)
in section 81(4), the words “on behalf of either House of Parliament or”.’.

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

David Maclean

Agreed to  2

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  15,  at end insert—

‘(2A)
This Act does not apply in relation to any request for information which is made

to a public authority before the Act comes into force.

(2B)
In subsection (2A) “request for information” and “public authority” have the

same meaning as in the Freedom of Information Act 2000.’.

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

Bill, as amended, to be reported.



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