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267

 

House of Commons

 
 

Friday 18th May 2007

 

Report Stage Proceedings

 

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill


 

[second day]


 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Negatived on division  2

 

Page  1,  line  5  [Clause  1],  leave out subsection (3).

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  13

 

Page  1  [Clause  1],  leave out lines 7 to 12 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

Section 1(1) shall not apply to any information which 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 unless the

 

authority has—

 

(a)    

notified the member that it has received a request for that information,

 

(b)    

invited the member to inform it if in the member’s opinion any of the

 

information is exempt information and of the reasons for that opinion,

 

(c)    

allowed a period of not less than 10 working days for the member to do

 

so, and

 

(d)    

considered any such opinion.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  14

 

Page  1  [Clause  1],  leave out lines 7 to 12 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

For the purposes of section 41(1), information which—

 

(a)    

is held only by virtue of being contained in a communication between a

 

member of the House of Commons, acting in his capacity as such, and a

 

public authority, and


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 18th May 2007                  

268

 

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, continued

 
 

(b)    

consists of information relating to the personal affairs of a constituent of

 

that member

 

    

shall, unless the contrary is indicated, be deemed to have been communicated in

 

circumstances importing an obligation of confidence.’.

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Negatived on division  40

 

Page  1  [Clause  1],  leave out lines 7 to 12 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

For the purposes of section 41(1), information which—

 

(a)    

is held only by virtue of being contained in a communication between a

 

member of the House of Commons, acting in his capacity as such, or a

 

member of the House of Lords, and a public authority, and

 

(b)    

in the case of a member of the House of Commons, consists of

 

information relating to the personal affairs of a constituent of that

 

member,

 

    

shall, unless the contrary is indicated, be deemed to have been communicated in

 

circumstances importing an obligation of confidence.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  46

 

Page  1  [Clause  1],  leave out lines 7 to 12 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

Information is only exempt information if it is contained in a communication

 

between a Member of the House of Commons, acting in his capacity as such, and

 

a public authority if the individual Member and the constituent or constituents

 

directly or indirectly concerned in the matter or matters which are the subject of

 

the communication concerned have signified express consent in writing that the

 

information should be so exempt.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  10

 

Page  1,  line  7  [Clause  1],  leave out from beginning to end of line 9 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

Information is exempt information if—

 

(a)    

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, and

 

(b)    

it consists of personal data relating to a constituent of that member, and

 

(c)    

the constituent has not consented to its disclosure.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  11

 

Page  1,  line  7  [Clause  1],  leave out from beginning to end of line 9 and insert—


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 18th May 2007                  

269

 

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, continued

 
 

‘(1)    

Information is exempt information if—

 

(a)    

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, and

 

(b)    

it consists of—

 

(i)    

personal data relating to an individual in connection with whom

 

the member has made representations or enquiries and the

 

individual has not consented to its disclosure, or

 

(ii)    

information relating to the personal affairs of a deceased

 

individual.’.

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not called  41

 

Page  1,  line  7  [Clause  1],  leave out from beginning to end of line 9 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

Information is exempt information if—

 

(a)    

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, or a member of the House of Lords, and a public authority, and, in

 

the case of a member of the House of Commons,

 

(b)    

it consists of personal data relating to a constituent of that member, and

 

(c)    

the constituent has not consented to its disclosure.’.

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not called  42

 

Page  1,  line  7  [Clause  1],  leave out from beginning to end of line 9 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

Information is exempt information if—

 

(a)    

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, or a member of the House of Lords, and a public authority, and

 

(b)    

if consists of—

 

(i)    

personal data relating to an individual in connection with whom

 

the member has made representations or enquiries and the

 

individual has not consented to its disclosure, or

 

(ii)    

information relating to the personal affairs of a deceased

 

individual.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  57

 

Page  1,  line  8  [Clause  1],  after ‘any’, insert ‘excluded’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  67

 

Page  1,  line  8  [Clause  1],  after ‘any’, insert ‘accessible’.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 18th May 2007                  

270

 

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not selected  43

 

Page  1,  line  8  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘communication’ and insert ‘letter’.

 

Mr David Winnick

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not selected  37

 

Page  1,  line  8  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘between’ and insert ‘from’.

 

Mr David Winnick

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not selected  38

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘and’ and insert ‘to’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr David Winnick

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Norman Baker

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Not selected  74

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘public authority’ and insert ‘the Information

 

Commissioner’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr David Winnick

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Norman Baker

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Not selected  75

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘public authority’ and insert ‘the Ministry of

 

Justice’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr David Winnick

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Norman Baker

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Not selected  76

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘public authority’ and insert ‘the Law Officers’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  8

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  after ‘authority’, insert ‘unless there is a public interest in

 

the disclosure of that information’.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 18th May 2007                  

271

 

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, continued

 
 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  12

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  at end insert ‘, except insofar as it relates to any

 

representations which the member has made to the authority in connection with—

 

(a)    

any matter of policy which it has adopted or may adopt, or

 

(b)    

any decision which it has taken or may take other than a decision

 

expressed in terms which affect only the personal affairs of a particular

 

individual or individuals.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  22

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  at end insert ‘but does not apply to any communication

 

made by the member on behalf of any organisation or any response by the authority to

 

such a communication.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  23

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

Information is not exempt by virtue of this section if it is contained in a

 

communication from or to a member acting on behalf of any person or

 

organisation from whom the member receives any remuneration or benefit,

 

whether or not recorded in the Register of Members’ Interests.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  24

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

Information is not exempt by virtue of this section if it is—

 

(a)    

contained in a communication made to or received from a public

 

authority from whom the member receives any remuneration or benefit,

 

and

 

(b)    

relates to that remuneration or benefit whether or not the remuneration or

 

benefit is recorded in the Register of Members’ Interests.’.

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not called  44

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  at end insert—


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 18th May 2007                  

272

 

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, continued

 
 

‘(1A)    

Information is not exempt by virtue of this section if it is contained in any letter

 

between a member of the House of Commons or House of Lords and a

 

Government minister.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  59

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  at end insert ‘if or to the extent that its disclosure would

 

identify the member concerned.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  68

 

Page  1,  line  9  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

For the purpose of section 34A, a “communication” excludes any recorded

 

information that has been identified by a relevant person as accessible

 

communication.

 

(1B)    

For the purpose of subsection (1) above an “accessible communication” means a

 

communication which can be made public (subject to any exemption in Part II the

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000).

 

(1C)    

For the purpose of subsection (1) above a “relevant person” means the Speaker of

 

the House of Commons or any other Member of Parliament.

 

(1D)    

The Secretary of State may, by order made by statutory instrument, describe the

 

circumstances when a communication is an accessible communication.

 

(1E)    

Before making an order under this section the Secretary of State must consult—

 

(a)    

the Information Commissioner,

 

(b)    

the House of Commons Commission, and

 

(c)    

any other individuals or organisations he considers appropriate.

 

(1F)    

No order may be made by the Secretary of State under this section unless a draft

 

of it has been laid before the Parliament and approved by a resolution of each

 

House.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  47

 

Page  1,  line  10  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘confirm or’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not selected  48

 

Page  1,  line  10  [Clause  1],  leave out ‘or deny’.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 18th May 2007                  

273

 

Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, continued

 
 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  25

 

Page  1,  line  12  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

For the purposes of this section “communication” means a communication in

 

writing, or by electronic means, made by a member to a public authority or by a

 

public authority to a member but does not include a record of a meeting, or of a

 

conversation, between a member and a person or persons acting on behalf of the

 

public authority.’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  26

 

Page  1,  line  12  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

This section does not apply to any communication made before the Act comes

 

into force.’.

 

Mr David Winnick

 

Not called  39

 

Page  1,  line  12  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

Information is not exempt by virtue of this section if it is contained in a

 

communication between a member of the House of Commons, acting in his

 

capacity as such, and a public authority, relating to any proposed legislation

 

which was before either House of Parliament at the time of the communication.

 

(4)    

In this section, “legislation” means any of the following—

 

(a)    

a public general Act or local Act (whether passed before or after the

 

commencement of this section), or

 

(b)    

any Order in Council, order, rules, regulations, scheme, warrant, byelaw

 

or other instrument made under an Act referred to in paragraph (a).’.

 

Simon Hughes

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Hywel Williams

 

Norman Baker

 

Not called  15

 

Page  1,  line  12  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(3A)    

After section 45(2)(c) insert—

 

“(ca)    

consultation with Members of Parliament in connection with requests for

 

information contained in their communication with public authorities.”’.

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not called  45

 

Page  1,  line  12  [Clause  1],  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

For the purposes of this section “letter” means a communication in writing, made

 

by a member to a public authority or by a public authority to a member, but does

 

not include—


 
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