The restrictive nature of these new proposals is serious. They represent a crude assault on the spirit of openness and transparency that underpinned the original legislation. The Bill will create particular classes of information which will be automatically withheld from the Opposition parties, the media, legitimate interested or concerned organisations and members of the public. For example, briefing notes from civil servants to Ministers, including those relating to replies to parliamentary questions, will be restricted. I am at a loss to know why a briefing note in relation to a parliamentary question to a Minister should be restricted.