How MPs voted on move to change Official Secrets Act over CSA

Conservatives and Liberal Democrats defeated OSA immunity for abuse whistleblowers

By Alex Varley-Winter and Mark Conrad | 21 March 2015 | 1 Related pieceMPs largely divided along government-opposition lines over a vote to ensure that the Official Secrets Act does not cover historical allegations of child sex abuse.

Theresa May, home secretary, has repeatedly given assurances that the act should not stop anyone from giving evidence to the overarching inquiry into child sex abuse (CSA). However, as Exaro reports today, the government defeated a proposed amendment to the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

John Mann, Labour MP, moved the amendment to insert the following clause in the OSA: It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under any provision of this Act to prove that he knew, or had reasonable cause to believe, that the information, document or article disclosed was a) germane to an official investigation of, or inquiry into, historic child abuse, and b) provided only to an officer of such an investigation or inquiry.

It would not have undermined the Official Secrets Act

John Mann, Labour MP

Mann told Exaro: It would not have undermined the Official Secrets Act.

The amendment was in for quite a period of time. I am aware that Zac Goldsmith, a Conservative MP who backed the proposal, raised it. It was not a last-minute thing, and was not something that MPs did not have time to consider.

The disclosure of the governments blockage of amending the OSA comes as Exaro also reveals how the Independent Police Complaints Commissions investigation into allegations of cover-ups by the police goes far wider than Sir Cyril Smith, the former Liberal MP who died in 2010. This is the full list of how MPs voted on Manns proposed amendment to the OSA, broken down by party.

AYES: 233

Conservative: 8 John BaronGuto BebbPeter BoneSir Peter BottomleyZac GoldsmithPhilip HolloboneJeremy LefroyCharlotte Leslie

Liberal Democrats: 3 Duncan HamesJohn HemmingTessa Munt

Labour: 207 Diane AbbottDebbie AbrahamsBob AinsworthRushanara AliGraham AllenDavid AndersonJonathan AshworthAdrian Bailey William BainEd Balls Kevin BarronSir Hugh BayleyMargaret BeckettHilary BennLuciana Berger Clive BettsHazel BlearsTom BlenkinsopPaul BlomfieldDavid BlunkettBen BradshawKevin BrennanNicholas BrownRussell BrownChris BryantKaren BuckAndy BurnhamLiam ByrneAlan CampbellRonnie CampbellMartin CatonJenny ChapmanVernon CoakerAnn CoffeyMichael ConnartyRosie CooperYvette CooperJeremy CorbynDavid CrausbyMary CreaghStella CreasyJon CruddasJohn CryerAlex CunninghamJim CunninghamSir Tony CunninghamNic DakinSimon DanczukAlistair DarlingWayne DavidIan Davidson Geraint DaviesGloria De PieroThomas DochertyBrian DonohoeFrank DoranJim DowdGemma Doyle Jack DromeyMichael DugherAngela EagleMaria EagleClive EffordJulie ElliottLouise Ellman Chris Evans Jim FitzpatrickRobert FlelloCaroline FlintPaul FlynnYvonne FovargueHywel FrancisMike Gapes Barry GardinerPat GlassMary GlindonHelen GoodmanTom Greatrex Kate GreenLillian GreenwoodNia GriffithAndrew GwynnePeter HainDavid HamiltonFabian HamiltonDavid HansonHarriet HarmanTom HarrisDai HavardJohn HealeyDavid HeyesMeg HillierJulie HillingMargaret HodgeSharon HodgsonKate HoeyJim HoodKelvin HopkinsGeorge HowarthTristram HuntHuw Irranca-DaviesGlenda JacksonSian JamesDan JarvisAlan JohnsonDiana JohnsonGraham JonesKevan JonesSusan Elan JonesDame Tessa JowellMike KaneSir Gerald KaufmanLiz KendallSadiq KhanIan LaveryMark Lazarowicz Chris Leslie Emma Lewell-BuckIvan LewisAndrew Love Ian LucasFiona MactaggartKhalid MahmoodSeema Malhotra John Mann Gordon MarsdenSteve McCabeMichael McCannKerry McCarthySiobhain McDonaghAndy McDonaldJohn McDonnellPat McFaddenAlison McGovernDame Anne McGuireLiz McInnesAnn McKechinIain McKenzieSir Alan MealeIan MearnsEdward MilibandAndrew MillerAustin MitchellMadeleine MoonJessica MordenGraeme MorriceGrahame M. MorrisGeorge MudieMeg Munn Paul MurphyLisa NandyPamela NashFiona O'DonnellChi OnwurahSandra OsborneAlbert OwenTeresa PearceToby PerkinsBridget PhillipsonStephen PoundLucy PowellYasmin QureshiSteve ReedEmma ReynoldsJohn RobertsonMr Geoffrey RobinsonSteve RotheramMr Frank RoyDame Joan RuddockAnas SarwarAndy Sawford Alison SeabeckVirendra SharmaBarry Sheerman Gavin Shuker Dennis SkinnerAndy SlaughterAndrew SmithAngela SmithNick SmithOwen SmithJohn SpellarGraham StringerGisela StuartGerry SutcliffeMark TamiEmily ThornberryStephen TimmsJon TrickettKarl TurnerDerek TwiggStephen Twigg Chuka UmunnaValerie VazJoan WalleyTom WatsonDave WattsAlan WhiteheadChris WilliamsonPhil WilsonDavid WinnickRosie WintertonMike WoodJohn Woodcock Shaun WoodwardDavid WrightIain Wright

Green: 1 Caroline Lucas

Democratic Unionist: 4 Jeffrey DonaldsonWilliam McCreaJim ShannonSammy Wilson

Social Democratic and Labour Party: 2 Mark DurkanMargaret Ritchie

Plaid Cymru: 2 Jonathan EdwardsElfyn Llwyd

Scottish National Party: 4 Angus MacNeilAngus RobertsonMike WeirEdith Whiteford

UK Independence Party: 2 Douglas CarswellMark Reckless

NOES: 295

Conservative: 254 Nigel AdamsAdam AfriyiePeter AldousSir David AmessStuart AndrewJames ArbuthnotRichard BaconSteve BakerSir Tony BaldryHarriett BaldwinStephen BarclayGregory BarkerGavin BarwellHenry BellinghamRichard BenyonSir Paul BeresfordJake BerryAndrew BinghamBob BlackmanNicola BlackwoodCrispin BluntNick BolesKaren BradleyGraham BradyJulian BrazierAndrew BridgenSteve BrineJames BrokenshireFiona BruceRobert BucklandAidan BurleyConor BurnsSimon BurnsDavid BurrowesAlistair BurtDan BylesAlun CairnsNeil CarmichaelSir William CashRehman ChishtiChristopher ChopeGreg ClarkGeoffrey Clifton-BrownTherese CoffeyDamian CollinsOliver ColvileGeoffrey CoxStephen CrabbTracey CrouchDavid T. C. DaviesGlyn DaviesNick de BoisCaroline DinenageNadine DorriesJackie Doyle-PriceRichard DraxSir Alan DuncanIain Duncan SmithPhilip DunneMichael EllisJane EllisonTobias EllwoodCharlie ElphickeGeorge EusticeGraham EvansJonathan EvansNigel EvansDavid EvennettMichael FabricantMichael FallonMark FieldLiam FoxMr Mark FrancoisMike FreerRichard FullerSir Roger GaleSir Edward GarnierMark GarnierMr David GaukeMr Nick GibbCheryl GillanJohn GlenRobert GoodwillRichard GrahamHelen GrantJames GrayDamian GreenJustine GreeningDominic GrieveBen GummerSam GyimahRobert HalfonStephen HammondMatthew HancockGreg HandsMark HarperRichard HarringtonRebecca HarrisSimon HartSir Alan HaselhurstJohn HayesSir Oliver HealdChris Heaton-HarrisGordon HendersonCharles HendryNick HerbertDamian HindsMark HobanGeorge HollingberySir Gerald HowarthJohn HowellJeremy HuntNick HurdStewart JacksonMargot JamesSajid JavidBernard JenkinRobert JenrickGareth JohnsonJoseph JohnsonAndrew JonesDavid JonesMarcus JonesChris KellySimon KirbySir Greg KnightKwasi KwartengMark LancasterPauline LathamAndrea LeadsomJessica LeePhillip LeeOliver LetwinBrandon LewisJulian LewisIan Liddell-GraingerDavid LidingtonPeter LilleyJack LoprestiTim LoughtonSir Peter LuffKaren LumleyTheresa MayJason McCartneyKarl McCartneyAnne McIntoshPatrick McLoughlinStephen McPartlandMark MenziesStephen MetcalfeMaria MillerNigel MillsAnne MiltonAndrew MitchellPenny MordauntNicky MorganAnne Marie MorrisDavid MorrisJames MorrisStephen MosleyDavid MowatDavid MundellSheryll MurrayAndrew MurrisonRobert NeillBrooks NewmarkSarah NewtonCaroline NokesJesse NormanDavid NuttallStephen O'BrienMatthew OffordEric OllerenshawGuy OppermanSir Richard OttawaySir James PaiceNeil ParishPriti PatelMark PawseyMike PenningJohn PenroseAndrew PercyClaire PerryStephen PhillipsEric PicklesChristopher PincherDaniel PoulterMark PriskMark PritchardDominic RaabSir John RandallJohn RedwoodJacob Rees-MoggSimon ReevellAndrew RobathanSir Hugh RobertsonAndrew RosindellAmber RuddDavid RuffleyDavid RutleyLaura SandysLee ScottAndrew SelousGrant ShappsAlok SharmaAlec ShelbrookeMark SimmondsKeith SimpsonChris SkidmoreChloe SmithHenry SmithJulian SmithSir Nicholas SoamesAnna SoubryCaroline SpelmanAndrew StephensonBob StewartIain StewartRory StewartGary StreeterMel StrideGraham StuartJulian SturdyDesmond SwayneHugo SwireRobert SymsEdward TimpsonJustin TomlinsonDavid TredinnickAndrew TurnerAndrew TyriePaul UppalEdward VaizeyShailesh VaraMartin VickersTheresa VilliersCharles WalkerRobin WalkerDame Angela WatkinsonMike WeatherleyJames WhartonHeather WheelerChris WhiteCraig WhittakerJohn WhittingdaleBill WigginDavid WillettsGavin WilliamsonRob WilsonSarah WollastonJeremy WrightTim YeoSir George YoungNadhim Zahawi

Liberal Democrats: 40Norman BakerSir Alan BeithGordon BirtwistleAnnette BrookeJeremy BrowneSir Malcolm BruceLorely BurtAlistair CarmichaelMike CrockartMr Edward DaveyLynne FeatherstoneDon FosterAndrew GeorgeStephen GilbertSir Nick HarveyMartin HorwoodSimon HughesJulian HuppertCharles KennedyDavid LawsJohn LeechStephen LloydMichael MooreGreg MulhollandJohn PughAlan ReidDan RogersonSir Bob RussellAdrian SandersSir Robert SmithSir Andrew StunellIan SwalesJo SwinsonJohn ThursoDavid WardSteve WebbMark WilliamsStephen WilliamsJenny WillottSimon Wright

Independent: 1Mike Hancock