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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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MPs expenses should not be concealed
January 20, 2009 12:00 AM
By Peter Black in Glamorgan Gazette
By Peter Black in Glamorgan Gazette
The UK Government has laid before Parliament a draft Order under section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Order, if approved, will limit the information which the House of Commons and House of Lords are required to disclose under the Act in relation to expenses claims by MPs and peers. Details of such claims will not be required to be disclosed, but only annual totals.
If approved, this Order will have the practical effect of relieving the House of Commons and the House of Lords of their obligation to comply with a number of outstanding requests for information under the Act.
Effectively, the Welsh Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament will be responding to requests for information and publishing detailed breakdowns of their members' expenses, Parliament will not.
I believe that the public should know how their money is being spent. My views have become more forceful in the wake of a whole series of expenses scandals, such as the Derek Conway affair and the revelation that MPs could claim £250 without a receipt. The Government's solution should be to reform of the system, not to hide it away.
At a time where public disillusionment with politics is growing, and when public faith in politicians is falling, we need to be making sure we are more transparent and seeking to dismantle the cosy, Gentleman's Club politics that exists in Westminster.
I was particularly disappointed to see that Parliament tried to persuade the National Assembly to follow their rules. The Assembly has set the standard in terms of keeping the public informed. MPs should be following our lead rather than seeking to draw us into their scheme so as to try and spread the blame.
The Government is trying to sneak this through under the cover of the inauguration of President Obama. The Freedom of Information Act must apply to Members of Parliament just as it applies to anyone else in public life. MPs should not be seeking exemptions and special treatment just because it may be inconvenient for them.
The public will not easily understand why it should be that the way MPs use public money should be kept secret. I would hope that our local Labour MPs; Madeleine Moon and Huw Irranca-Davies will help to vote down this retrograde measure.
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