Housing Associations and Public Contractors: Freedom of Information — [Mr Clive Betts in the Chair]

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 3:37 pm on 6 March 2019.

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Photo of Andrew Slaughter Andrew Slaughter Labour, Hammersmith 3:37, 6 March 2019

I gently say to the Minister that there are two weaknesses in her argument. First, disclosing information voluntarily, however laudable the aim or honestly done, is not the same as giving citizens the power to interrogate an organisation. Secondly, if the Minister is right—I think it was the policy of a previous Conservative Government to put the onus on housing associations, rather than councils, to deliver the lion’s share of social housing—and they are standing in the shoes of councils, there is all the more reason for them to be accountable in that way. If Scotland and other charities can do it, why does the Minister appear to envisage the risk of a housing association suddenly being classed as a public body, just because it is subject to FOI?