Derek McDowell (Labour)

I wish to press the issue I have tried three times to raise with the Minister. If I raised my voice, the Minister might be more inclined to address it. He has not addressed it yet. I am seeking a reassurance that papers such as the tax strategy group papers will be defined within the term "factual information" and could, at least at the discretion of the head of a Department, be made available to the public as they currently are. That reassurance is most important. It does not just apply to the TSG papers but to a number of other papers on economic analyses and so forth.

The Government chose to publish the Bacon report at the same time as it implemented its recommendations but if it had chosen not to, it would have been possible to suppress it under this legislation, as it has been with the high level group that recommended changes in the Freedom of Information Act. Does the Minister believe, as Senator Mansergh has told us, that the TSG and similar such papers underpinning Government budgetary decisions will be available and are comprised within the definition of factual information?