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FOI bill debate blocked by MPs
MPs will now no longer debate a bill to extend Freedom of Information (FOI) laws to housing associations after it was talked out of the Commons.
Andy Slaughter, Labour MP for Hammersmith and a former shadow housing minister, had tabled a Private Members’ Bill to make housing associations and public contractors subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
He previously told Inside Housing that all social housing tenants should be able to access details about the fire safety of their building, regardless of whether their landlord is a council or a housing association.
The bill was due to be debated in parliament this afternoon, but time ran out after Conservative backbenchers Philip Davies and Sir Christopher Chope spoke for four hours between them – a practice known as filibustering.
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Via Twitter, Mr Slaughter said he would “continue to try and get the Freedom of Information (Extension) Bill into law”.
As a result of the filibuster, I didn’t even get to speak to my Freedom of Information (Extension) Bill that would have shone a light into organisations like Carillion, Serco, G4S and the TMO that managed Grenfell Tower. /2
— Andy Slaughter (@hammersmithandy)As a result of the filibuster, I didn't even get to speak to my Freedom of Information (Extension) Bill that would have shone a light into organisations like Carillion, Serco, G4S and the TMO that managed Grenfell Tower. /2
— Andy Slaughter (@hammersmithandy) June 15, 2018
Meanwhile, we will continue to try and get the Freedom of Information (Extension) Bill into law. If you want to read the speech I would have made today, it will be on my and @CampaignFoI websites shortly. /5
— Andy Slaughter (@hammersmithandy)Meanwhile, we will continue to try and get the Freedom of Information (Extension) Bill into law. If you want to read the speech I would have made today, it will be on my and @CampaignFoI websites shortly. /5
— Andy Slaughter (@hammersmithandy) June 15, 2018
The bill was unlikely to be voted through as it is not supported by the government. Ministers argue there are already provisions to extend the current Freedom of Information Act.
Mr Davies and Sir Christopher blocked five other bills today – including one to make taking ‘upskirt’ photos a criminal offence.
