text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill - Exempt constituents' letters only - rejected
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  
  
  The majority of MPs voted against changing the proposed [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmbills/039/07039.i-i.html Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill] (designed to remove Parliament and MPs from the power of the [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/ukpga_20000036_en_1 Freedom of Information Act 2000]) so that the exemption for MPs' correspondence applied only to constituents' letters.
  
  The vote to keep this section was made in [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2007-05-18&number=120 ''Division 120'']
  
  ** For the purposes of [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/ukpga_20000036_en_4#pt2-l1g41 section 41(1)], information whichâ
  * is held only by virtue of being contained in a communication between a member of the House of Commons, acting in his capacity as such, or a member of the House of Lords, and a public authority, and
  * in the case of a member of the House of Commons, consists of information relating to the personal affairs of a constituent of that member,
  ** shall, unless the contrary is indicated, be deemed to have been communicated in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence.
  
  Like the votes during the previous debate, [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2007-04-20&number=94 ''Division 94''] and [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2007-04-20&number=95 ''Division 95''], this proposed change tested the official reason given for this change in the law[1] by targeting it at that reason (confidentiality of constituency business) more specifically.
  
  This was to test whether the stated reason[1] for the change in the law was to protect sensitive information of a private member of the public, or whether this was cover for a broader exemption than that.
  
  When a question was raised about the subsequent lack of progress of this Bill through the House of Lords,[2] the Leader of the House correctly pointed out that correspondence relating to constituents was already exempt from disclosure.
  
  * [1] [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1809563.ece MPs make themselves exempt from FOI], The Times, 18 May 2007.
  * [2] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2007-06-14b.865.0#g868.2 Martin Salter MP], House of Commons, 14 June 2007
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  