§ 7. Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)What discussions he has had with the Scottish Office on freedom of information in a Scottish Parliament. [39796]
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Dr. David Clark)I have had a number of discussions with Scottish Office colleagues as part of the collective consideration of our freedom of information proposals. It will, however, be for the Scottish Parliament itself to determine freedom-of-information arrangements within the areas devolved to it.
§ Mr. DalyellOn the non-devolved areas, given the basic nature of members of any parliament, can any of us imagine Members of the Holyrood parliament, of any party, failing to clamour for those extra powers that they think should be theirs by right and then, when they do not get them, blaming the awful "us" at Westminster?
§ Dr. ClarkWe have made it clear that the freedom of information legislation will apply to the reserved powers and reserved legislation held with the United Kingdom Parliament. We have said that it is up to the Scottish people and the Scottish Parliament to decide which freedom of information legislation, if any, they want. There will be nothing to stop the Scottish Parliament adopting the United Kingdom legislation if it feels that that is the right legislation to change the political culture relating to openness and secrecy.