Gordon Prentice MP (Labour) former MP for Pendle. Member of the All Party Internet Group. He used to be married to Bridget Prentice MP. He has a MA in Politics and Economics from the University of Glasgow. Before entering Parliament, worked in the Labour Party's research department.

Issues

Electronic Voting

A strong believer in the principle that people vote in secret. Concerned about postal voting.

House of Commons debate Electoral Participation Electoral Participation

The Electoral Commission is keen on text voting, internet voting and so on as a way of driving up participation by young people. Is there not a problem in that those new methods of voting could compromise the integrity of the secret ballot? If we move away from the cardinal principle that people vote in secret, democracy is in peril.

Signed an Early Day Motion in 2002 Prevention of fraud in electronic voting systems

That this House believes that no electronic system of voting should be introduced into any British election unless it is accompanied by a verifiable paper trail for every vote cast, which if needs be can be used to address any concerns that may be raised that such electronic systems are faulty, defective or used fraudulently.

House of Commons debate Electoral Participation 21 March 2005

The Electoral Commission is keen on text voting, internet voting and so on as a way of driving up participation by young people. Is there not a problem in that those new methods of voting could compromise the integrity of the secret ballot? If we move away from the cardinal principle that people vote in secret, democracy is in peril.

Signed an Early Day Motion 1015 Voting by Secret Ballot 04 April 2005

That this House believes that on-demand postal voting and the introduction of new ways of voting may fatally undermine public confidence in the integrity of the ballot; and urges the next Government to bring forward legislation with urgency to re-assert the primacy of the secret ballot, acknowledging that it is the cornerstone of the United Kingdom's democracy.

Database State

Signed Early Day Motion 210 Data Intrusion 21 November 2006

That this House notes with concern the increasing incidence of data intrusion or data rape, as it is increasingly becoming known, the process whereby personal and hitherto confidential data is transferred to central databases established by the Government which can then be made available to third parties, such as police and security services, without consent being required; notes that the operation of the new national medical database will require medical records, which until now have remained in the confidential custody of general practitioner practices, to be uploaded to the Spine, a computer which will collect details from doctors and hospitals; supports the British Medical Association in its demand that patients should be asked for their explicit permission before their files are transferred; further notes with concern the reports of plans to establish and expand national databases in relation to the identity card scheme, DNA and the national census; and calls on the Government to establish a legislative framework which will safeguard access to personal data which has as its foundation not only the requirement for explicit consent but the right to know which agencies have a right to, and have requested access to, personal information.

Also see NHS, Identity cards and DNA database.

Open Source Software

Signed Early Day Motion 179 Software in Schools 21 November 2006

That this House congratulates the Open University and other schools, colleges and universities for utilising free and open source software to deliver cost-effective educational benefit not just for their own institutions but also the wider community; and expresses concern that Becta and the Department for Education and Skills, through the use of outdated purchasing frameworks, are effectively denying schools the option of benefiting from both free and open source software and the value and experience small and medium ICT companies could bring to the schools market.

DNA database

Worried about innocent people on the DNA Database.

House of Commons debate National DNA Database 21 April 2008

Does it bother my friend at all that DNA samples are held on people who are innocent of any crime?

House of Commons debate DNA Database 7 November 2005

But why are the police allowed to keep the swabs and the DNA of people who are not charged with any offence?

Written question DNA Data 27 January 2003

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what DNA data are held on people with criminal convictions; and if he will make a statement.

Signed Early Day Motion 44A1 DNA Database 16 November 2006

That this House recognises the vital role DNA and the DNA database play in the detection of crimes but is concerned about the retention of DNA samples on the National Police Database of those individuals who are neither charged nor cautioned; further recognises the potential detrimental effect the retention of DNA samples has on innocent juveniles; further recognises that there is a disproportionate number of DNA samples retained from members of black and ethnic minorities; and therefore calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to remove the DNA samples of non-charged and non-cautioned individuals currently on the database, except when the individuals concerned give their willing and continuing consent to the retention of their DNA and to begin a national debate about the desirability of introducing a complete national DNA database.

Signed Early Day Motion 1697 Use of the DNA Database 27 February 2006

That this House expresses its concern about the retention of DNA data taken from children aged 10 to 18 years who have never been charged or cautioned with any offence; notes large regional differences in retention policy between various police forces; and believes that this imbalance is being further exacerbated by the Government's unwillingness to issue clear guidelines to chief constables about the removal of innocent children from the National Police DNA Database.

Signed Early Day Motion 1389 DNA Database 17 January 2006

That this House notes with concern new figures released by the Home Office revealing that nearly 40 per cent. of black men have their DNA stored on the national DNA database, compared to 13 per cent. of Asian and 9 per cent. of white men; is concerned that the discrepancies in ethnic breakdown are an indication of disproportionate use of police powers to retain DNA samples and that the Forensic Science Service has received a number of requests to access this information; further notes that black males are more likely than any other group to be arrested and therefore their DNA is more likely to be stored; is concerned that the disproportionate amount of data relating to black males will skew any findings of private companies engaging in the researching of a criminality gene and attempting to gain access to the DNA register; and is alarmed that 139,463 people are currently on the register who have not been charged or cautioned with an offence.

Signed Early Day Motion 1697 Use of the DNA database 27 Febuary 2006

That this House expresses its concern about the retention of DNA data taken from children aged 10 to 18 years who have never been charged or cautioned with any offence; notes large regional differences in retention policy between various police forces; and believes that this imbalance is being further exacerbated by the Government's unwillingness to issue clear guidelines to chief constables about the removal of innocent children from the National Police DNA Database.

Freedom of Information

Has said that MPs were resorting to the Freedom of Information Act to get proper answers from Ministers.

Signed Early Day Motion 845 Freedom of Information 06 Febuary 2007

That this House expresses concern that the proposed new fees regulations under the Freedom of Information Act would allow authorities to refuse on cost grounds a high proportion of requests which they are currently required to answer; notes that the Government's consultation document recognises that this will have a greater impact on journalists, hon. Members, campaign groups and researchers than on private individuals; considers that such changes would undermine the Act's contribution to increased discussion of public affairs, accountability and trust in the work of public authorities; and calls on the Government not to proceed with the proposals.

Links

Gordon Prentice MP Website
Gordon Prentice MP TheyWorkForYou.com
Gordon Prentice MP Labour Profile

News

2007-08-08 - The Burnley Citizen - MP voices election concerns: Summary: The MP spoke out as the election watchdog, the Electoral Commission, rec-ommended that there should be no further experiments with electronic voting without the key safeguard of individual registration. ... "But if the government is going to consider significant changes to the way we vote, these should have the support of the Electoral Commission and the backing of the other main political parties represented in Parliament."

2006-10-17 - The Guardian - Yesterday in parliament - Freedom of information: Summary: Ministers came under fire from all sides over the quality of their answers to written questions. They were accused of regular "obfuscation" and of giving "spurious" reasons for withholding information, while Labour's Gordon Prentice (Pendle) noted that MPs were resorting to the Freedom of Information Act to get proper answers. The protests came after the deputy leader of the Commons, Nigel Griffiths, said that the quality of answers was "generally of a high order" and that few complaints had been received.