Issues - My policy positions

Freedom of Information

The UK Government established a Commission to review the Freedom of Information Act last year.

My SNP colleagues and I are concerned that this Commission has been hand-picked by the Prime Minister and is unrepresentative of both the public and Parliament.

We are further concerned that meetings were held in private, and initial reports seemed to suggest that the Commission will simply rubber-stamp the Government’s plans to introduce fees for FoI requests, and limit the Act’s applicability.

My SNP colleague Tommy Sheppard MP has instead worked with other opposition parties to establish an alternative Commission, which will meet in public and take evidence from a wide variety of sources including Government Ministers, officials, NGOs and academics.

Rest assured that my SNP colleagues and I will continue to oppose the UK Government’s plans to restrict Freedom of Information.