§ Mr. Alan HowarthTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes have been made to the code of practice on Government information proposed in draft in the White Paper, "Open Government", Cm. 2290; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIn my statement of 15 July 1993,Official Report, columns 1115–17, I described the Government's plans for increasing openness in government. We received more than 100 consultation responses to the White Paper, many of which gave the proposals a broad welcome. I am placing a summary of the consultation responses and copies of the responses themselves in the Library of the House.
The White Paper proposed a new code of practice on Government information. This will come into effect on 611W Monday 4 April. The draft code has been revised and improved since last summer. Copies of the new code have been placed in the Library of the House. Further copies of the code and of a leaflet describing the new system may be obtained by telephoning 0345 223242.
Ministers will be responsible for the performance of their Departments under the code of practice. Complaints that information has not been provided should be addressed in the first instance to the Department concerned. Where applicants are still dissatisfied, they can complain—through a Member of Parliament—to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.
The code of practice means that, in future, anyone seeking information from Government Departments and public bodies can be assured that their request will be received positively. When there is a case for confidentiality it must be based on specific tests in part II of the code. I am confident that the advantages of the code, which puts into practice key principles of the citizens charter, will rapidly become apparent.