HOWZAT

R: Well there’s been a number of cases. There’s been some cases on individuals’ travel expenses, there have been cases on the costs of employing staff – the allowances which are paid to MPs and their staff. Now in one of those cases, the Speaker, as he’s entitled to under the Act, signed a certificate saying that it would be prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs to disclose the information. And that, in a very unusual situation, that converts it to being an absolute exemption.

Q: What was the particular case?

R: That was the information about the allowances paid to research assistants and people like that for MPs. That’s a highly exceptional case. That is a class for MPs as a whole.

Q: Why do you think that information ought to be public?

R: Well we don’t make those rulings. Somebody wanted it, we were investigating whether or not it should be disclosed and then the Speaker signed a certificate so we have no further function.

Q: Is it not likely the Speaker will do the same for cost allowances?

R: It is possible. This is meant to be a very exceptional process, it’s…(inaudible) in the Act, but he may do the same on other cases. But so far in those cases where we have made rulings on travel allowances there has not been such a certificate. We’ve ruled against the House of Commons, but they are appealing. They’re entitled to go above me to The Information Tribunal. And there have been a couple of cases of individual MPs, particular journeys and so on. They are saying that this is a breach of the privacy of the Members of Parliament concerned and falls within the scope of the Data Protection Act. But given that we actually administer the Data Protection Act we are fairly clear as to where the boundaries are to be drawn. And we’re saying that given that public money is being used for making these payments…

Q: Well they’re supposed to be journeys on public visits, so how can it be a breach of privacy?

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