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NMA backs Labour bid to close “unacceptable loophole” in FoI law

Louise HaighThe trade body for the regional and national press has called for the government to close an “unacceptable loophole” in Freedom of Information law.

The News Media Association has backed a bid by Labour to extend the FoI regime to cover companies contracted to carry out work for the public sector.

Louise Haigh, shadow policing and crime minister, introduced a ten minute rule motion calling for the change to the law.

Ms Haigh, pictured, said such a move would help “clean up the murky world of our outsourced state.”

Labour’s call for action followed the collapse of the outsourcing contractor Carillion last month with billions of pounds of debts.

In a letter in support of Ms Haigh, NMA legal, policy and regulatory affairs advisor Kerry Nicholson said:”“Information about the number of attacks in privately run prisons, whistleblowing policies of NHS contractors, incentives to issue parking tickets and the cost of TV licensing prosecutions has all been withheld from the public because of this indefensible loophole.

“The need for public access to information about public services does not change when a duty, or part of a duty, is contracted to a private party.”

“This amendment would remedy the incoherence and injustice created by this loophole, and allow public authorities to be held accountable for how they fulfil their obligations, whether or not they contract a private entity to carry out work on their behalf.”