WHAT sort of devious people are managing to get themselves elected to the House of Commons these days?

Parliament passed an act, introduced by the Labour Government, that allows the freedom of information about business conducted in the House by elected members.

It now appears that elected members fear that the public will find out things about them - such as how much some claim as expenses and travel allowances - that they have allowed an opposition party MP to introduce a bill to exempt MPs from the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.

How can an opposition party MP bring in a Private Member's Bill to amend a bill originally brought in as a Government bill and part of Government policy?

This is the third time this Private Member's Bill has been allowed on the Commons floor, something which has never happened before, and it makes one wonder how time can be found to protect MPs' interests, yet can't be found to reform the House of Lords where this bill is bound to run into a mass of amendments until it runs out of time forever.

Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham.

WHEN future historians study the death of British democracy they will look at the events of recent days as a pivotal moment. Last Friday, we saw a rump of 96 MPs pass a piece of legislation in full knowledge it would leave a stench in the noses of millions of the electorate.

They did so realising that it could only result in lowering the standing of both Parliament and themselves in the eyes of the British public, a standing which has plummeted in recent years as one scandal after another is brought to light.

To add insult, only a few days before we had the sight of a Prime Minister being elected on some 300 votes and then talking to the electorate as if the mistakes and disasters of the previous ten years were nothing to do with him. Are we really that simple?

Is it too late for a nationwide independent party called, say, the Integrity Party to be launched which could include the many independent politicians who have appeared in recent times? They have succeeded in the North-East and could do so nationally.

First Minister Mallon and Home Secretary H'Angus may sound daft, but they could hardly do any worse than the excuse for politicians we have now.

Martin Birtle, Billingham.

SOME 100 MPs won the right to exclude themselves from the FoI Act and about 30 opposed it. Can anyone tell me what the remaining MPs were doing on Friday? Had the day off - had a sickie?

Let us remember that MPs are voted into Parliament by the people to represent the people. Any prudent employer would expect to receive expenses submitted by their employee for scrutiny and approval.

We pay their salaries, their very generous expenses and allowances.

Our MPs should not be excused from scrutiny.

We were promised an open government, an accountable government; all public bodies are accountable and are not exempt from the act and there is no reason why MPs should be different from any other body serving the people.

There is little wonder that our politicians, with a few exceptions, are held in contempt. Let us hope that those who voted the amendment through are removed from office at the next General Election.

John Waiting, Guisborough.

IF you are a member of the Government, how much you earn and where from is now not open for scrutiny. However, the taxpayers who voted them into power have to declare all their earnings and savings. So much for open government.

JM Gowland, Newton Aycliffe.