30th October 2025

Freedom of Information campaigner Alan M. Dransfield has welcomed a landmark clarification from the Speaker of the House of Commons confirming that MPs are not barred from debating the conduct of members of the Royal Family — provided such discussions occur via a proper Parliamentary motion.

The confirmation, received in writing from the Speaker’s Office, states that “the rules do not prevent the conduct of such people being debated or discussed,” referencing current Early Day Motions concerning Prince Andrew and a Private Member’s Bill addressing the deprivation of royal titles. The Speaker stressed that only the House itself can amend standing orders governing debate on the Royal Family.

For Mr Dransfield, a public-safety whistleblower, the ruling represents a long-overdue opportunity for Parliamentary scrutiny of the Duchy of Lancaster and Duchy of Cornwall. Both institutions currently claim exemption from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a status Mr Dransfield says undermines transparency in government and commercial dealings.

“This proves MPs can—and must—debate the constitutional double standards that allow the Royal Duchies to hide behind FOI exemptions,” Mr Dransfield said. “It’s time Parliament looked at how Section 14(1) of the FOI Act has been weaponised to suppress transparency and protect powerful interests.”

Following the Speaker’s confirmation, Mr Dransfield has written to Richard Tice MP and the Justice Committee urging the initiation of an Early Day Motion or a Committee inquiry into two key issues:

  1. The misuse of Section 14(1) FOIA, which allows public authorities to refuse requests deemed “vexatious,” a practice Mr Dransfield says has blocked access to public-safety information since the 2015 Dransfield v ICO case; and
  2. The ongoing FOI exemptions claimed by the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, which he argues are inconsistent with modern standards of accountability.

Fellow transparency campaigner Sheila Oliver, based in Stockport, praised the development, saying, “Alan’s victory here matters to every citizen. If Parliament can debate Royal conduct, it can certainly debate why thousands of FOI requests are being unlawfully branded ‘vexatious’.”

Campaigners are now calling for cross-party support to review Section 14(1) of the FOIA and to extend transparency obligations to the Royal Duchies, citing the public interest in accountability and government oversight.

This development may mark a turning point in efforts to ensure that both public authorities and historically privileged institutions are subject to the same standards of openness.