MPs' addresses may remain secret

MPs' addresses may remain secret

Prospective MPs may no longer have to give their full address when standing for office, under plans being considered by the government.

While voters should know their MP lives locally, there was a question mark over whether they had to give house numbers or streets, Harriet Harman told MPs.

Tory MP Julian Lewis suggested giving part of a postcode may be sufficient. In May the High Court ordered addresses to be published with expenses claims, but MPs voted to keep them private.

The High Court had ordered addresses be published as part of a wider Freedom of Information battle over expenses claims, to allow people to check MPs were living in properties they claimed for.

But the government moved an order to exclude addresses, travel plans and security bills from Freedom of Information laws, to protect MPs and their neighbours from "harassment at home".

MPs' addresses 'may stay secret' (BBC News, 30 October 2008)