Green Party MP targets King and Royal Household for Freedom of Information transparency
A Green Party MP is preparing a proposal to bring the King and Royal Family under the Freedom of Information Act, which aims to significantly increase transparency around the monarchy.
Brighton Pavilion MP Sian Berry is planning to change the 26-year-old law, which currently gives the public general access to information from public bodies. The Royal Household and the Sovereign are not classified as public authorities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; this allows other public institutions to block communication with the monarch and his office.
Ms Berry said: Press Association He said the release of documents and data relating to the Crown would be “a huge step forward for transparency in what has been a shady institution for so long”.
His proposed Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill aims to extend coverage to the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, as well as the Royal Archive, a vast collection of historical documents spanning more than 250 years and housed in the Round Tower of Windsor Castle.
The government has recently faced increasing pressure to release royal family documents that are generally protected by existing law. This came to a head earlier this year when MPs voted to release documents relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment as special representative for trade and investment in 2001.
A subsequent 31-page dossier revealed attempts to prevent the former Duke of York from being offered “golf events” abroad and noted his preference for “ballet over theatre”. Andrew was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, was interviewed under caution and the investigation is ongoing.
Ms Berry said: “It is outrageous that there is a special provision in freedom of information legislation for the royal family. It unnecessarily protects what should be a fully accountable part of our constitution and it needs to go.”
He explained that his proposal aims to examine the royal family’s use of public assets and focuses on “things that are part of the business, not part of their private lives”.
In order for the bill to become law, it must be submitted to Parliament and approved by both MPs and colleagues. The current Freedom of Information Act already includes several exemptions, such as those protecting covert special forces missions or residential addresses of MPs.
Specifically, Section 37 exempts “communication with the monarch and his heirs.” Other exemptions include information that could be “harmful” to the UK’s foreign relations, advice to ministers on policymaking and details that could endanger national security.
The government is not expected to support any attempt to bring the royal family under freedom of information legislation.
