§ Baroness Lockwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will accept the recommendations made in the report of the Advisory Group on Openness in the Public Sector. [HL2044]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)My right honourable Friend the Home Secretary set up the Advisory Group on Openness in the Public Sector last year to advise him on how he might facilitate a cultural change to greater openness in the public sector. The advisory group reported to him in December and he has carefully considered both the report and its recommendations.
The recommendations address the practical matters necessary to bring about cultural change and to implement a Freedom of Information Act. They set out a broad agenda for action which my right honourable Friend the Home Secretary is happy to endorse in full. He will be looking to see how we can best give effect to that agenda and he commends the report and recommendations to all public authorities which will be brought within the scope of the freedom of information regime described in the Freedom of Information Bill now before Parliament. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library and is also available in the Home Office website www.homeoffice.gov.uk.