CONSTITUENTS' CORRESPONDENCE AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

EDM number 1540 in 2006-07, proposed by Martin Salter on 22/05/2007.

That this House notes that the House of Commons guidance note Freedom of Information and Members' Correspondence with Public Authorities, published in December 2005, makes it clear that a public authority may be required to release a copy of hon. Members' correspondence if it receives a relevant request even though constituents may not be aware of the risk of material being disclosed; believes that it is absolutely essential that constituents are able to contact their hon. Member on a confidential basis; supports measures to protect from disclosure correspondence from constituents and their representatives to hon. Members and from hon. Members on behalf of constituents and their representatives to public authorities but believes that all other matters relating to the administration of the House, including hon. Members' allowances, budgets, use of contractors, purchasing policy and other matters, should be subject to public disclosure on an annual basis; and calls upon the Leader of the House to table a motion to this end to be voted upon by hon. and right hon. Members.

This motion has been signed by a total of 69 MPs, 2 of these signatures have been withdrawn.