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Freedom of Information

I have not only speculated on the matter but put it to the test. After one of the earlier debates on the subject, I took the liberty of sending the relevant Hansard to each of the three judges, who had, in their wisdom, determined that our addresses should be published en masse. I asked whether I could have their home addresses for future correspondence. Every one politely but firmly declined. There is a postscript. One—the right honourable Sir Igor Judge—was subsequently appointed Lord Chief Justice and I asked, on what some might consider a bogus point of order, whether it was possible within the rules to send him our congratulations, and express how happy we were as a House that one silly mistake had not spoiled his promising professional career. I duly sent the Hansard to the royal courts of justice, but I have not yet received a reply and I can only regret that, if I had gone to the trouble of finding his home address, I might have discovered whether he saw the joke. There is an incredible lack of self-awareness in the wider debate. I hope that the House will indulge me while I quote from a short letter, which was published in my local paper, the Southern Daily Echo, on Monday 9 June. It is headed: ““Why is MP secretive?”” It reads:"““Why has Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest, East, attacked the decision to disclose details of MPs' homes?""He has access to our home details through the nation census and other government data. The freedom of information process was brought in by the government, so he should respect it.””" At the bottom of the letter, a little note states that not only the writer's address, but his name has been withheld.