CAMPAIGNING organisations in Oxfordshire have lined up to back the Oxford Mail’s campaign to protect the Freedom of Information Act.

Bus Users Oxford and the Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers are among those that have criticised proposals by a powerful committee of Westminster insiders to weaken the Act.

The campaign, which was launched in Thursday’s edition of the Oxford Mail, has also been supported by MEP Catherine Bearder and Oxford East MP Andrew Smith.

Bus Users Oxford chairman Hugh Jaeger, who is also a rail campaigner, said the FOI Act is vital to find out how taxpayers’ money is spent on big projects.

He said: “I am a great believer in open government.

“If it is a democracy then there is nothing to hide.

“The thing with rail is that such enormous sums of money are involved.

“The Government is paying more subsidies than ever, so taxpayers and campaigners will always have questions about whether they are being spent correctly or whether investment is proper.

“I am hugely supportive of the Oxford Mail campaign. We have got to have the FOI Act to make people who are spending our money tell us the things they want to keep quiet about.”

The Act is currently being examined by a committee, which includes well-known critics of the legislation, with a view to making changes 10 years after it came into force.

The committee is expected to report back at the end of the month.

But changes could include potentially restricting the information available and introducing punitive charges to make certain requests.

OACP is a membership organisation for providers of adult social care in Oxford and is supportive of the Act in its current form.

Chief executive Eddy McDowall said: “I totally support the Oxford Mail’s campaign.

“The Act is important to us because we believe that people in councils and the NHS and so on are accountable to people who use their services.

“It is important that people know when decisions are taken and why they are taken.”

Bicester Traffic Action Group has used the Act to submit requests regarding a wide range of transport issues in the town.

Co-chairman Sallie Wright said: “I certainly think that there should be more transparency.

“I think it is only right and proper that the man and woman in the street have access to government bodies and to use the FOI Act. So much seems to be hidden away these days.”

A petition against the Act being weakened can be signed at change.org/p/matthew-hancock-mp-don-t-weaken-the-freedom-of-information-act.