HC Deb 16 March 1995 vol 256 cc654-5W
Mr. Morgan

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will specify what code of conduct applies to information on Government business supplied by Ministers to staff employed by them as House of Commons secretaries and researchers; and if such staff are governed by a code of conduct analogous to the Official Secrets Act for civil servants with respect to such business.

Mr. David Hunt

House of Commons secretaries and researchers are not employed by the Government and are not therefore subject to rules of conduct applying to the civil service. Like other citizens, they are subject to relevant provisions of the Official Secrets Act.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent reports have been received concerning leakages of information concerning Government business from staff employed by Government Ministers as House of Commons secretaries and researchers.

Mr. David Hunt

None.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many requests for information have been made to Departments following the introduction of the open government code; how many of these requests have been(a) met and (b) refused; and in how many cases of requests, Departments have had to review refusals to release information;

(2) if he will give the current figures of charges made by individual Departments and agencies for information requested under the open government code;

(3) when the Government's review of the operation of the open government code will be published.

Mr. David Hunt

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply today to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey). Copies of the Government's report on the implementation of the code of practice on access to Government information during 1994 are available in the Library of the House. Appendix 1 of the report gives figures for the numbers of code requests received by Departments in 1994, the numbers of requests refused in full or in part, and the numbers of internal reviews conducted by Departments. A schedule of departmental charging schemes for information requested under the code is included as appendix 4.

Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the operation of the code of practice on access to Government information during 1994.

Mr. David Hunt

I have today announced the publication of the Government's report on the operation of the code of practice during 1994, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.