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Freedom of Information Act 2000

When this provision was passed during a highly contentious debate on the Freedom of Information Bill in Committee on the Floor of the House, it was described by the then Home Secretary—the present Lord High Panjandrum—as ““Executive override””. We are now seeing the very heart of the defeat of what was that Bill. This is an exercise by the Executive to exclude full and proper debate on matters that go to the very heart of the public interest. The Secretary of State cited the second paragraph of ““Reasons for Decision”” in stating that this was an exceptional case. He then invoked a minority decision as justification for his action. The fact is that this ““Executive override”” defeats the very purpose of an informed public opinion that can make a judgment, in the public interest, on the actions of those who are given the trust of this people to govern this country.