Unssen apology

Published: 10:41 AM March 11, 2010 Updated: 2:42 PM November 1, 2020

SIR – At last Anne Main has been forced to provide a written apology for her expenses claims. Not to us her constituents of course, but to the House of Commons. So I decided last week to submit a Freedom of Information request to check that she had actual

SIR - At last Anne Main has been forced to provide a written apology for her expenses claims. Not to us her constituents of course, but to the House of Commons.

So I decided last week to submit a Freedom of Information request to check that she had actually apologised (she has) and to see a copy of the letter to submit to the Herts Advertiser in the hope if published it might act as some sort public apology to us her constituents. Sadly, no we can't read it, it is exempt because it is subject to Parliamentary Privilege under section 34(1) of the Freedom of Information Act.

This is an absolute exemption and the public interest test does not apply. Well, I beg to differ, not only does Anne Main only apologise when under duress but we can't even read it. Unbelievable.

TONY HARRIS