Transparency questionnaire

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10-12 good questions needed

Draft Questionnaire

(Q1) MPs' expenses

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Parliament is required to disclosure of the full details of MPs expenses, do you support this requirement of the Act?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer

(Q2) Changing Crown Copyright

In general, a work prepared by an officer or employee of the US government as part of that person's official duties is not protected by domestic copyright law. Would you support a similar provision in respect of UK Government documents?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer

(Q3) Remove the Ministerial Veto

Jack Straw used the Ministerial Veto to prevent the release of Cabinet Meeting minutes re the Iraq war under the Freedom of Information Act. Would you support a change to the Act to remove the Ministerial Veto?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer


(Q4) Free Our Bills

The [ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/freeourbills/ Free Our Bills campaign] is urging the House to publish bill texts in a new electronic format to improve accessibility and public scrutiny of legislation Do you support campaign to publish bills in a new format?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer

(Q5) Free the Postcode

The postcode database which converts postcode into grid references and back - is not free in the UK. Would you support making the database available to anyone free of charge?

(See Free the Postcode for more information)

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer


(Q6) Lobbying transparency

Would you support a mandatory register of lobbying activity that was independently managed and enforced? (see also EDM 563)

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer

(Q7) Academies and the Freedom of Information Act

The DCSF describes Academies as "all-ability, state-funded schools established and managed by sponsors from a wide range of backgrounds,...". Do you think that academies should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer

(Q8) Make it more difficult for public authorities to withhold information from the public

  • Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 a public authority can in many cases withhold information if they can demonstrate that disclosure would "prejudice" a specified interests.
  • Under the Freedom of Information Act (Scotland) 2002 the public authority can only withhold information if they can demonstrate that there would be "substantial prejudice" to specified interests.

Would you support changing the Freedom of Information Act 2000 so that public authorities would have to demonstrate "substantial prejudice" in order to withhold information?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer


(Q9) Anonymous FOI requests

Request under the Freedom of Information Act are only valid if the requester provides their real name and an email address/postal address. Would you support a change to the law to require public authorities to answer anonymous requests (where an email address is supplied) except where they can demonstrate that they have a good reason for obtaining the real name of the requester before proceeding?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer

(Q10) Companies owned two thirds or more

Under Section 6 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 a company owned 100% by one public authority is subject to the Act but not a company jointly-owned by two public authorities. Would you support changing section 6 so that all companies owned two thirds or more by any number of public authorities subject to the Act?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Decline to answer