text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill - Exemption of Parliament
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  <p>The majority of MPs voted against the public's right to know about the internal workings of Parliament.[1][2]</p>
  
  <p>The other section of the proposed change in the law, if it eventually passed, was to make all correspondence between MPs and other government departments confidential.[3]  Because there were not enough MPs present in the House willing to vote against the proposal, the only way to prevent it from becoming law was to talk for long enough for Parliament to run out of time,[4] and hope that the informal "usual channels" wouldn't reschedule a new debate too soon after.</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li> [1] <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmbills/039/07039.i-i.html#NewClause">Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill</a> to the <a href="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00036--p.htm#sch1">Freedom of Information Act 2000</a></li>
  <li> [2] <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2007-04-20b.601.4">Clause 1 â Exemption of House of Commons and House of Lords</a>, Martin Rosenbaum (20 April 2007).</li>
  <li> [3] <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2007-04-20b.616.1">Norman Baker MP</a> (20 April 2007).</li>
  <li> [4] <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2007-04-20b.619.2">The Speaker</a> (20 April 2007).</li>
  </ul>
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  