§ Norman BakerTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list the membership of the Advisory Group dealing with the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [61413]
§ Yvette CooperThe Lord Chancellor announced the formation of the Advisory Group on Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in his statutory report to Parliament in November 2001. Mrs. Elizabeth France, the Information Commissioner, and myself jointly chair the group. The members of the group are:
- Mr. James Leslie MLA: Northern Ireland Executive
- Mr. Denis Haughey MLA: Northern Ireland Executive
- Ms Alison Sutherland: Local Government Association
- Mr. Tim Ricketts: National Association of Local Councils
- Deputy Chief Constable Mr. Ian Readhead: Association of Chief Police Officers
- Dr. Michael Wilks: British Medical Association
- Ms Christine Miles: NHS Confederation
- Mr. Michael Malone-Lee: Universities UK
- Ms Jane Phillips: National Association of Governors and Managers
- Ms Santha Rasaiah: Newspaper Society
- Mr. Jonathan Baume: First Division Association
- Mr. Maurice Frankel: Director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information
- Mrs. Christine Gifford: former Metropolitan police civil servant
- Professor Robert Hazell: Director of the Constitution Unit, University College London
- Dr. Dilys Jones: former consultant psychiatrist, Department of Health
948W - Mr. David Henke: The Guardian
- Mr. David Reynolds, Director of Investigations at the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
- Ms Sarah Tyacke, Keeper of the Public Records
- Mr. Alan Cogbill: Director, Civil Justice and Legal Services, Lord Chancellor's Department
- Mr. Lee Hughes, Head of the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Division, Lord Chancellor's Department
- Mr. Graham Smith. Deputy Information Commissioner.
The Secretariat is provided by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Division in the Lord Chancellor's Department.
§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will set out the timetable for the(a) repeal and (b) amendment under section 75 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 of the primary and secondary legislation which contains provisions prohibiting the disclosure of information. [63090]
§ Yvette CooperMy predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills), made a statement on 30 April 2002,Official Report, columns 699–700, announcing the publication of an interim report detailing the progress made so far in reviewing legislation prohibiting the disclosure of information. A further report is being prepared and will be published at the time of the Lord Chancellor's annual report in November on implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list the Ministers with responsibility for implementing freedom of information policies. [61411]
§ Yvette CooperPolicy responsibility for the Freedom of Information Act rests with the Lord Chancellor and myself. The Lord Chancellor chairs the Cabinet Ministerial Sub-Committee on Freedom of Information and its members are responsible for implementation of the Act in their Departments. The sub-committee's terms of reference are
To consider policy and other issues arising from the Government's decision to legislate on freedom of information and from legislation on data protection; to oversee implementation of the relevant legislation; and to report as necessary to the Committee on Constitutional Reform Policy".The membership of the committee in the light of the recent Cabinet reshuffle will be confirmed shortly.