MP: Ministers and Officials must be able to speak freely
Today Rt Hon Dominic Grieve MP is applying to the Speaker for an emergency debate which, if supported in a vote this evening, will compel various officials to divulge information regarding the decision to prorogue Parliament, including from their private devices and accounts. It will also compel the Government to make available confidential papers regarding preparations for a no deal Brexit.
John said,
“The motion before the Commons today is an enormous invasion of privacy which would require officials to hand over their personal data, all in the furtherance of another ploy by remain MPs to make Brexit more difficult. In addition, the motion would require the Government to hand over confidential documents regarding preparation work for if we leave the EU without a deal.”
“Quite apart from any sensitive commercial information which may be contained within these papers, ministers and officials must be able to debate the pros and cons of policies in private. Policymaking will suffer if those in Government are not able to have free and uninhibited conversations with each other, and this will not be possible if those involved in these discussions fear that they will be made public.”
Notes to Editors:
• Most Government papers are in any case released from the National Archives under the ‘20-Year Rule’.
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