Information Csar targets MPs

Andrew Black
The Politics Show's reporter in Scotland

Kevin Dunion said more details were available under the Holyrood system

Scotland's information commissioner has criticised "disingenuous" MPs over the withholding of details from their published expenses.

Kevin Dunion said he was concerned that blame for the level of blacked-out information on the claims had been laid with the House of Commons authorities.

MPs' expenses claims for the past four years were put online after a long-running Freedom of Information battle.

Information was removed on privacy and security grounds.

But Mr Dunion told BBC Scotland's Politics Show that some of the details which were witheld, or redacted, would have been disclosed under the Scottish Parliament system.

Last day

"I thought it looked appalling and, secondly, I'm really quite concerned by the disingenuous statements I've heard by party leaders and parliamentarians saying this is down to the House of Commons staff being overzealous in blacking these things out," he said.

"A year ago, parliamentarians in Westminster voted for this information not only to be blacked out from their receipts but to be taken outside the scope of freedom of information altogether.

"In other words - if you want to ask what lies behind that black ink, in Scotland you might be able to do so - in England you simply cannot."

Mr Dunion's comments came on Michael Martin's last day as Speaker of the Commons.

Mr Martin decided to quit the post after facing criticism over his handling of the expenses issue.

The Scottish information commissioner said MPs had to be "dragged kicking and screaming" into the disclosure of their claims, saying there was now a divergence between the situation in Scotland and England.

"Whenever information of embarrassment or sensitivity is released, the government and the commons' default position seemed to be then to change the legislation," he added.

"I've seen this, not only with the issue of MPs expenses, but also now the proposals to absolutely exempt all cabinet papers and absolutely exempt all communications with the Royal household from the English FOI act - that's simply not happening in Scotland."

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