Transparency Questionnaire

The idea:

twelve questions to ask every MP in the UK about transparency/FOI

this blog entry is a work in progress - I will keep editing it as ideas come to me.

possible ideas:

see transparency questionnaire

The Lancaster Experiment

Is the Duchy of Lancaster (headed up by the Queen) subject to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004?

Only one way to find out...

I have made a request: Policies and minutes

I would welcome any suggestions you might have as to how best to make the argument that the Duchy does have environmental responsibilities and/or public functions. You can use the comments feature to do this.

Keep inquests in the open

The Government is putting forward plans for parts or the whole of an inquest to be heard in secret on the grounds of national security or the need to protect intelligence sources.

One of the main reasons for having inquests is to make sure there has been no misconduct leading to a death. When people die in the custody of the state e.g. prison or hospital there is a good chance that if misconduct did take place then public authorities were aware or involved. Without public scrutiny the chance of a cover up is unacceptably high. The same argument applies to deaths in the service of the Armed Forces of the Crown.

Coroners and justice: new year, newish Bill

Stop draconian data plan

"The Information Sharing Orders would remove data protection restrictions that mean information can only be used for the purpose it was taken. "


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7852480.stm

Government told to release minutes of Iraq decision

Information tribunal today ordered publication of cabinet minutes from 2003.

Government must release cabinet minutes on lead-up to Iraq war

Suggestions for next campaign

The petition has now closed... but the work goes on.


Please comment if you have any ideas for the next campaign to improve access to information in the UK. It could be a petition, a pledge, a new resource or something totally different.

Petition Closed - 370 Signatures

Thanks to everyone who signed and everyone who promoted this. I have not yet received a response from Number 10 but most petitions with this many signatures do get responses so I am expecting one.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/publiccompanies/

We won - MPs expenses will be published

Read here how the proposed change to the law was defeated

We have won this battle but the campaign to extend and improve freedom of information goes on.

If you are looking for a positive step to take why not sign this:


http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/publiccompanies/

6 days to stop MPs concealing their expenses

Please read Tom Steinburg's message and do what he says! right now!

"...Ministers are about to conceal MPs’ expenses, even though the public has just paid £1m to get them all ready for publication, and even though the tax man expects citizens to do what MPs don’t have to. They buried the news on the day of the Heathrow runway announcement. This is heading in the diametric wrong direction from government openness."

Facebook Group - I object to MPs concealing their expenses