1-20 of 33 results for member:"Matt Hancock"
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the remit of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to cover Ombudsman Services provided by the Ombudsman Services Company.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the remit of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to cover Ombudsman Services provided by the Ombudsman Services Company.
I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]. There are no current plans to extend the scope of the FOI Act.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many prosecutions were brought under Section 77 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each year since the coming into force of that Act.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many prosecutions were brought under Section 77 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each year since the coming into force of that Act.
No prosecutions have been brought under section 77 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many prosecutions have been brought under Section 70 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each year since the coming into force of that Act.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many prosecutions have been brought under Section 70 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each year since the coming into force of that Act.
Section 70 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not contain an offence. It amends the Data Protection Act 1998 to exempt data falling within section 1(1)(e) of that Act from some of its provisions, including the offence under section 55 of that Act.
We announced our response to the independent commission on the freedom of information last week. The commission did not make a formal recommendation about extending the coverage of the Act, but we will take action to extend pay transparency across the public sector.
We announced our response to the independent commission on the freedom of information last week. The commission did not make a formal recommendation about extending the coverage of the Act, but we will take action to extend pay transparency across the public sector.
What plans the Government has to extend the coverage of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
As I have said before at the Dispatch Box, I am a strong supporter of freedom of information, and I want to record my thanks to the commission, which did hard work and made sensible suggestions for improvements. The issue that the hon. Lady has raised is a complex one. For instance, we do not want to deter small businesses from supplying into government. We will consider what was written by the commission, even though no formal recommendation was made.
As I have said before at the Dispatch Box, I am a strong supporter of freedom of information, and I want to record my thanks to the commission, which did hard work and made sensible suggestions for improvements. The issue that the hon. Lady has raised is a complex one. For instance, we do not want to deter small businesses from supplying into government. We will consider what was written by the commission, even though no formal recommendation was made.
I am pleased to note that the Government appear to have retreated from their plan to introduce fees for freedom of information requests. Does the Minister agree with me and many of my constituents that it is in the public interest for the Freedom of Information Act to be extended to cover private companies when they are contracted to provide public services?
I can absolutely give my hon. Friend that assurance. As we said last week, we will not introduce fees because we think that it is important for people to use freedom of information to find out what is going on inside public bodies, including local authorities and more broadly, to ensure, rightly, that taxpayers’ money is spent better because the people who are spending it are held to account.
I can absolutely give my hon. Friend that assurance. As we said last week, we will not introduce fees because we think that it is important for people to use freedom of information to find out what is going on inside public bodies, including local authorities and more broadly, to ensure, rightly, that taxpayers’ money is spent better because the people who are spending it are held to account.
Will my right hon. Friend join me in welcoming the commission’s conclusion that it would be inappropriate to introduce further charges for requests under the Act? Can he reassure my constituents that the Government have no plans to do so?
I cannot give the hon. Lady that assurance, not least because, having considered this question and listened to representations from both sides of the argument, the commission did not make a formal recommendation on this matter. I can tell her, however, that FOI can be used to scrutinise those who set up the contracts that businesses, large and small, supply into.
I cannot give the hon. Lady that assurance, not least because, having considered this question and listened to representations from both sides of the argument, the commission did not make a formal recommendation on this matter. I can tell her, however, that FOI can be used to scrutinise those who set up the contracts that businesses, large and small, supply into.
The Minister has just talked about extending the Act to cover private providers doing public service contracts, and he mentioned small businesses. Clearsprings runs a Home Office contract in my constituency relating to asylum seekers’ accommodation, but it is failing the taxpayer and the thousands of vulnerable asylum seekers living in its accommodation, safe from the scrutiny of the Act. Will he confirm that the Act will be extended to cover large companies such as Clearsprings?
What plans the Government has to extend the coverage of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
What plans the Government has to extend the coverage of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
We announced our response to the independent commission on the freedom of information last week. The commission did not make a formal recommendation about extending the coverage of the Act, but we will take action to extend pay transparency across the public sector.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to change the Cabinet veto over the release of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to change the Cabinet veto over the release of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to include private sector companies that deliver public services.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to include private sector companies that deliver public services.
I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to introduce a statutory time limit for dealing with appeals under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to introduce a statutory time limit for dealing with appeals under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the future scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the future scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]
This Government is committed to making government more transparent, so taxpayers can hold the state to account both on how their money is being spent and how decisions are made which affect their lives.
The Freedom of Information Act is one of the pillars on which open government operates. We...
This Government is committed to making government more transparent, so taxpayers can hold the state to account both on how their money is being spent and how decisions are made which affect their lives.
The Freedom of Information Act is one of the pillars on which open government operates. We...
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2015 to Question 902477, when he expects the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information to publish its review of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2015 to Question 902477, when he expects the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information to publish its review of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
It is for the independent Commission to determine the timing for submitting its response to Government.
What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The Government are committed to transparency and freedom of information. The independent commission on freedom of information was established to review the working of the Act and we will consider the report when it is received.
What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The Government are committed to transparency and freedom of information. The independent commission on freedom of information was established to review the working of the Act and we will consider the report when it is received.
The Government are committed to transparency and freedom of information. The independent commission on freedom of information was established to review the working of the Act and we will consider the report when it is received.
The Government are committed to transparency and freedom of information. The independent commission on freedom of information was established to review the working of the Act and we will consider the report when it is received.
What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I am happy to hear more from the hon. Gentleman because I am a great supporter of freedom of information and the Act, and of transparency. We have to make sure that its workings are accurate and we look forward to listening and seeing what the commission comes up with when it reports in due course.
I am happy to hear more from the hon. Gentleman because I am a great supporter of freedom of information and the Act, and of transparency. We have to make sure that its workings are accurate and we look forward to listening and seeing what the commission comes up with when it reports in due course.
There are any number of instances that we can all point to where the publication of information that the authorities would rather have kept hidden has led to significant public benefits. The expenses affair in this place was one example. I do not know of a single case where the release of information through the Freedom of Information Act has caused any significant public damage. Does the Minister agree that any change to the Act should be designed to make it easier, rather than harder, for citizens to find out what the Government are doing?
The hon. Gentleman tempts me, but I shall wait until the commission reports. We will respond in due course.
The hon. Gentleman tempts me, but I shall wait until the commission reports. We will respond in due course.
Is it not the case that introducing fees for FOI requests would reduce opportunities for exposing injustice and bad practice? Will the Minister take this opportunity to rule out introducing any such fees?
Indeed. The Freedom of Information Act has brought to light many things that it is in the public interest to have in the public domain. I have no doubt that my hon. Friend’s Committee will scrutinise
the proposals very carefully, not least to ensure that the will of Parliament is the law of the land. I look forward to working with him on that.
Indeed. The Freedom of Information Act has brought to light many things that it is in the public interest to have in the public domain. I have no doubt that my hon. Friend’s Committee will scrutinise
the proposals very carefully, not least to ensure that the will of Parliament is the law of the land. I look forward to working with him on that.
May I inform my right hon. Friend that the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee will be scrutinising those proposals very carefully indeed? We want to make sure that the judges are interpreting the Freedom of Information Act as Parliament truly intended, but I can tell him that there is no going back on freedom of information.