0:00:13 > 0:00:21We come to the ten minute rule motion. Belize heh.I beg to move at
0:00:21 > 0:00:24least be given to bring in a bill to make provision for the disclosure of
0:00:24 > 0:00:29information by public authorities on persons contracted to provide
0:00:29 > 0:00:33services for them or on your behalf to amend the field of information
0:00:33 > 0:00:38act 2004 connected purposes. Nearly 20 years on from the revolution of
0:00:38 > 0:00:42the Freedom of Information Act this bill with extended parameters into
0:00:42 > 0:00:47the unaccountable outsourced estate. It would enhance the existing powers
0:00:47 > 0:00:52available to private citizens, investigate journalists and
0:00:52 > 0:00:56concerned communities so they are not forced to wait through a swap of
0:00:56 > 0:01:04bureaucracy to get answers about decisions made in your name. I would
0:01:04 > 0:01:07like to pay tribute to the members are tapping on this for many years
0:01:07 > 0:01:10like the honourable member from Hammersmith is a similar bill on the
0:01:10 > 0:01:14session and has focused on housing associations which I will come to
0:01:14 > 0:01:17sharply. Those in power have had a long and difficult Croatian ship
0:01:17 > 0:01:22with freedom of information, and like much that challenges discovered
0:01:22 > 0:01:25it has met resistance at every step of the way. The Thatcher government
0:01:25 > 0:01:30was so concerned with the 1980s and warned that if all reduce the
0:01:30 > 0:01:35sovereignty of Parliament itself. In that context it was remarkable about
0:01:35 > 0:01:39the last Labour government out of power for 18 years committed itself
0:01:39 > 0:01:42to shining a light on the shadows cast by decisions made behind closed
0:01:42 > 0:01:47doors. Tony Blair said at the time this act is fundamental to changing
0:01:47 > 0:01:52the way we do politics in this country. There are still far too
0:01:52 > 0:01:56much an addiction to secrecy and a wish to conduct government business
0:01:56 > 0:02:02behind closed doors. Tony Blair did of course come to regret that
0:02:02 > 0:02:05revolution, but nevertheless it was nothing short of revolutionary.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Literally thousands of cases on every topic imaginable sort
0:02:08 > 0:02:14information drawn into the public domain, expenses, bonuses, stop and
0:02:14 > 0:02:17search figures, the exposing of child sex life by patient, all
0:02:17 > 0:02:21brought to light because of this act. A Labour achievement and one we
0:02:21 > 0:02:27should be proud of. That is why the last two Labour manifestos pledged
0:02:27 > 0:02:32to extend freedom of information to those performing public services. We
0:02:32 > 0:02:36did is because he recognised the freedom that Maggie Wien which
0:02:36 > 0:02:38freedom of information operate has changed as the government addiction
0:02:38 > 0:02:41to outsourcing has exploded. The collapse of Pirelli and as one
0:02:41 > 0:02:46recent example of an ever-growing shadow state in which some of the
0:02:46 > 0:02:51government's were dubious policy priorities are outsourced, leaving
0:02:51 > 0:02:56citizens in the dark about what is happening in their name. Under the
0:02:56 > 0:03:02Coalition outsourcing almost doubled to 120 billion pounds, never before
0:03:02 > 0:03:08has shareholder interest over the public interest have such a large
0:03:08 > 0:03:12stake in the functioning of state. Transparency and accountability has
0:03:12 > 0:03:17diminished and the limited scope of the FOIA act allows too many of
0:03:17 > 0:03:19those well performing public functions with public money to
0:03:19 > 0:03:26nonetheless hide behind a cloak of secrecy. But decisions, warnings
0:03:26 > 0:03:30ignored, the results time and time again are similar to the scandal
0:03:30 > 0:03:35exposed the past fortnight.