Lord Anderson of Ipswich Portrait

Lord Anderson of Ipswich

Crossbench - Life peer

Became Member: 10th July 2018


Lord Anderson of Ipswich is not a member of any APPGs
2 Former APPG memberships
Rule of Law, Uyghurs
EU Security and Justice Sub-Committee
23rd Apr 2020 - 31st Mar 2021
EU Justice Sub-Committee
2nd Jul 2019 - 23rd Apr 2020


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Anderson of Ipswich has voted in 1 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Lord Anderson of Ipswich Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Fookes (Conservative)
(1 debate interactions)
Baroness Crawley (Labour)
(1 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Attorney General
(1 debate contributions)
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View all Lord Anderson of Ipswich's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Anderson of Ipswich, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


2 Bills introduced by Lord Anderson of Ipswich


A Bill to make provision about mechanisms for promoting and protecting standards of integrity and ethics in the public service; and for connected purposes.

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Thursday 7th December 2023
(Read Debate)

A Bill to make provision about mechanisms for promoting and protecting standards of integrity and ethics in the public service; and for connected purposes

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 5th September 2022
(Read Debate)

Lord Anderson of Ipswich has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 5 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the legal basis for those provisions within The National Archives Re-closure Policy that allow for the withdrawal of public access to open records on demand without The National Archives having established any of the exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are engaged.

The National Archives’ reclosure policy was first drafted by officials in The National Archives and approved by directors and the then Chief Executive and Keeper of Public Records in 2010. Following its inception, the reclosure policy has been kept under continuous review and amended several times, most notably in 2018 due to changes in data protection legislation.

The National Archives’ Reclosure Panel provides internal expert scrutiny of the application of The National Archives’ reclosure policy. The Reclosure Panel is composed of members of staff with expertise in Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection, along with records and catalogue specialists from across The National Archives. The Panel is chaired by the Director for Public Records Access and Government Services. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives provides external scrutiny of the Reclosure Panel’s decisions where qualified exemptions under the FOI Act 2000 are applied.

The legal provisions underpinning public access to records held by The National Archives are section 5 of the Public Records Act 1958 and section 1 of the FOI Act 2000 (subject to any relevant exemptions stated elsewhere in the FOI Act).

Under section 2(4) of the Public Records Act 1958, ‘the Keeper of Public Records shall have power to do all such things as appear to him necessary or expedient for maintaining the utility of the Public Record Office.’ When The National Archives are made aware that information in a record may fall within a relevant exemption under the FOI Act or the UKGDPR, the record is temporarily withdrawn from public access so that an assessment may take place.

Whilst this assessment is taking place and subsequently, the statutory right of access to information under the FOI regime of any requestor is not affected. Therefore, an FOI request can still be made for any record that has an ‘Access Under Review’ status on The National Archives’ catalogue, Discovery. Reclosure decisions by The National Archives under the FOI Act are subject to review by the Information Commissioner and, ultimately, the courts.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the legal basis for those provisions within The National Archives’ Re-closure Policy that allow for the retrospective application of exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to justify the re-closure of records that were previously open.

The National Archives’ reclosure policy was first drafted by officials in The National Archives and approved by directors and the then Chief Executive and Keeper of Public Records in 2010. Following its inception, the reclosure policy has been kept under continuous review and amended several times, most notably in 2018 due to changes in data protection legislation.

The National Archives’ Reclosure Panel provides internal expert scrutiny of the application of The National Archives’ reclosure policy. The Reclosure Panel is composed of members of staff with expertise in Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection, along with records and catalogue specialists from across The National Archives. The Panel is chaired by the Director for Public Records Access and Government Services. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives provides external scrutiny of the Reclosure Panel’s decisions where qualified exemptions under the FOI Act 2000 are applied.

The legal provisions underpinning public access to records held by The National Archives are section 5 of the Public Records Act 1958 and section 1 of the FOI Act 2000 (subject to any relevant exemptions stated elsewhere in the FOI Act).

Under section 2(4) of the Public Records Act 1958, ‘the Keeper of Public Records shall have power to do all such things as appear to him necessary or expedient for maintaining the utility of the Public Record Office.’ When The National Archives are made aware that information in a record may fall within a relevant exemption under the FOI Act or the UKGDPR, the record is temporarily withdrawn from public access so that an assessment may take place.

Whilst this assessment is taking place and subsequently, the statutory right of access to information under the FOI regime of any requestor is not affected. Therefore, an FOI request can still be made for any record that has an ‘Access Under Review’ status on The National Archives’ catalogue, Discovery. Reclosure decisions by The National Archives under the FOI Act are subject to review by the Information Commissioner and, ultimately, the courts.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what processes are in place to ensure effective scrutiny of the operation of The National Archives Re-closure Policy.

The National Archives’ reclosure policy was first drafted by officials in The National Archives and approved by directors and the then Chief Executive and Keeper of Public Records in 2010. Following its inception, the reclosure policy has been kept under continuous review and amended several times, most notably in 2018 due to changes in data protection legislation.

The National Archives’ Reclosure Panel provides internal expert scrutiny of the application of The National Archives’ reclosure policy. The Reclosure Panel is composed of members of staff with expertise in Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection, along with records and catalogue specialists from across The National Archives. The Panel is chaired by the Director for Public Records Access and Government Services. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives provides external scrutiny of the Reclosure Panel’s decisions where qualified exemptions under the FOI Act 2000 are applied.

The legal provisions underpinning public access to records held by The National Archives are section 5 of the Public Records Act 1958 and section 1 of the FOI Act 2000 (subject to any relevant exemptions stated elsewhere in the FOI Act).

Under section 2(4) of the Public Records Act 1958, ‘the Keeper of Public Records shall have power to do all such things as appear to him necessary or expedient for maintaining the utility of the Public Record Office.’ When The National Archives are made aware that information in a record may fall within a relevant exemption under the FOI Act or the UKGDPR, the record is temporarily withdrawn from public access so that an assessment may take place.

Whilst this assessment is taking place and subsequently, the statutory right of access to information under the FOI regime of any requestor is not affected. Therefore, an FOI request can still be made for any record that has an ‘Access Under Review’ status on The National Archives’ catalogue, Discovery. Reclosure decisions by The National Archives under the FOI Act are subject to review by the Information Commissioner and, ultimately, the courts.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times The National Archives’ Re-closure Policy has been reviewed since its inception; and by whom.

The National Archives’ reclosure policy was first drafted by officials in The National Archives and approved by directors and the then Chief Executive and Keeper of Public Records in 2010. Following its inception, the reclosure policy has been kept under continuous review and amended several times, most notably in 2018 due to changes in data protection legislation.

The National Archives’ Reclosure Panel provides internal expert scrutiny of the application of The National Archives’ reclosure policy. The Reclosure Panel is composed of members of staff with expertise in Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection, along with records and catalogue specialists from across The National Archives. The Panel is chaired by the Director for Public Records Access and Government Services. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives provides external scrutiny of the Reclosure Panel’s decisions where qualified exemptions under the FOI Act 2000 are applied.

The legal provisions underpinning public access to records held by The National Archives are section 5 of the Public Records Act 1958 and section 1 of the FOI Act 2000 (subject to any relevant exemptions stated elsewhere in the FOI Act).

Under section 2(4) of the Public Records Act 1958, ‘the Keeper of Public Records shall have power to do all such things as appear to him necessary or expedient for maintaining the utility of the Public Record Office.’ When The National Archives are made aware that information in a record may fall within a relevant exemption under the FOI Act or the UKGDPR, the record is temporarily withdrawn from public access so that an assessment may take place.

Whilst this assessment is taking place and subsequently, the statutory right of access to information under the FOI regime of any requestor is not affected. Therefore, an FOI request can still be made for any record that has an ‘Access Under Review’ status on The National Archives’ catalogue, Discovery. Reclosure decisions by The National Archives under the FOI Act are subject to review by the Information Commissioner and, ultimately, the courts.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
8th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, who was responsible for (1) drafting, and (2) approving, The National Archives’ Re-closure Policy implemented as a result of sections 45 and 46 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010; and whether any consultation with external stakeholders took place.

The National Archives’ reclosure policy was first drafted by officials in The National Archives and approved by directors and the then Chief Executive and Keeper of Public Records in 2010. Following its inception, the reclosure policy has been kept under continuous review and amended several times, most notably in 2018 due to changes in data protection legislation.

The National Archives’ Reclosure Panel provides internal expert scrutiny of the application of The National Archives’ reclosure policy. The Reclosure Panel is composed of members of staff with expertise in Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection, along with records and catalogue specialists from across The National Archives. The Panel is chaired by the Director for Public Records Access and Government Services. On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives provides external scrutiny of the Reclosure Panel’s decisions where qualified exemptions under the FOI Act 2000 are applied.

The legal provisions underpinning public access to records held by The National Archives are section 5 of the Public Records Act 1958 and section 1 of the FOI Act 2000 (subject to any relevant exemptions stated elsewhere in the FOI Act).

Under section 2(4) of the Public Records Act 1958, ‘the Keeper of Public Records shall have power to do all such things as appear to him necessary or expedient for maintaining the utility of the Public Record Office.’ When The National Archives are made aware that information in a record may fall within a relevant exemption under the FOI Act or the UKGDPR, the record is temporarily withdrawn from public access so that an assessment may take place.

Whilst this assessment is taking place and subsequently, the statutory right of access to information under the FOI regime of any requestor is not affected. Therefore, an FOI request can still be made for any record that has an ‘Access Under Review’ status on The National Archives’ catalogue, Discovery. Reclosure decisions by The National Archives under the FOI Act are subject to review by the Information Commissioner and, ultimately, the courts.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)