Fiona Beveridge: The Government's so-called "transparency" on freedom of information does not extend to abortion statistics

Fiona Beveridge is a healthcare communications professional and a Conservative activist.

People across the country will have been furious to see Gordon Brown's interview on Sunday's Andrew Marr show, in which he boasted that it was a Labour Government that had brought in the Freedom of Information Act, even while he continues to dither and it looks likely that disgraced MPs will continue to receive thousands of pounds in pensions, benefits and pay.

However, one comment from Gordon Brown made me particularly angry, which may have passed other viewers by. He said:

"We need an open, transparent democracy where all these things are above board. And if I may say so, it doesn't just affect the House of Commons... it may affect all public institutions that receive taxpayers' money... This whole issue of transparency... will have to affect public institutions, including the Health Service... In a free society, open information and open society is the key to a proper democracy being accountable. I've always supported that."

Why is this particularly hypocritical? Because, as of last Friday, the Government is fighting a Freedom of Information case to allow the Department of Health to keep information on abortion statistics hidden from the public, as reported here.