division_name: Freedom of Information Bill
motion: <p>[Relevant documents: The Third Report of Session1998-99 on the Freedom of Information draft Bill (HC 570-I), and the Government's response thereto (Session 1998-99, HC 831);   the Fifth Report of Session 1998-99 on the Freedom of Information draft Bill: The Committee's Response to the Home Office Reply (HC 925);   the First Report of Session 1999-2000 on the Freedom of Information Bill (HC 78).] 
  <p>Order for Second Reading read. 
  <p>
   I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
  <p> 
  
   Calls for a freedom of information Act have been made consistently over much of the past 20 years. Unnecessary secrecy in Government and our public services has long been held to undermine good governance and public administration, and my party has long been committed to change. At the last election, our manifesto stated:
  <p> 
   
    "We are pledged to a Freedom of Information Act, leading to more open government."
  <p>
   I beg to move, To leave out from "That" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:
  <p> 
   
    "this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Freedom of Information Bill because it will result in greater secrecy than is the case under the existing Code of Practice, because it fails to promote open government instead of secrecy or transfer from Ministers and officials to Parliament the final decision over the release of information, and because it represents a significant dilution of the proposals in the White Paper, Your Right to Know (Cm 3818), and disregards the recommendations from the Select Committee on Public Administration."
  <p>Question put,  That the amendment be made:--
  <p>The House divided:  Ayes 138, Noes 377.
  