The outrage at such severe abuses mirrors responses to human trafficking and 'modern day slavery', as all agree that exploitation should not have a place in our supply chains. But whether low pay or excessive hours, bonded labour or human trafficking, the common thread is profits trumping rights and talk in place of action.

Breaking the stranglehold which the handful of large corporate publishers currently have over academics and university libraries is not only important because of the public money at stake, but also because genuine open access allows research to be utilised by those outside the close confines of academia.

Let's be honest. Burma isn't the first country that comes to mind when one talks about open government. Yet despite its ongoing challenges, Burma has made huge strides towards reform and openness in the past few years.

Great strides have been made and great plans are underway in DFID. Now we need to ensure these plans are sustainable, beneficial to the majority of the poor, and have impact.

The movement for transparency and openness in government took decisive steps forward last week. As lead co-chair of the Open Government Partnership, the UK hosted the first ministerial level meeting in Britain of this growing international initiative. But this meeting wasn't just symbolically significant. We put in place key measures that will help move the OGP from fine words to accountable actions.

I was reminded this week of the joke about the Bishop who is caught sunbathing nude and reacts by putting his towel over his head rather than over his private parts. On being challenged on why he has done this, he replies "people normally recognise me by my face".

This government is second to none in opening up data. We have already released nearly 9,000 datasets, fuelling new and innovative businesses as well as apps that make everyday life easier and safer.

Commissioners aren't directly elected, but scrutiny by the parliament is the next best thing.

The FOI laws we have are precious, they need to be protected and upheld for the state of this country's democratic wellbeing. They help every person in the country to hold public organisations and officials to account for their actions.

Next year Putin and Cameron take the reins of the G20 and G8 respectively. They must show that bringing the most powerful people in the world together can still deliver results for the most powerless.

Today we are squaring up to big oil. Adverts will appear in papers across Europe shining a spotlight on a few corporate lobbyists who are trying to water down a new law that could transform millions of lives. It's an unusual move for us. But it might be the most important campaign we have ever run. Here's why...

One of the perks of being an MP is access to a wonderful private library - the House of Commons Library. I know that MPs can ask for the Library to buy books they are interested in reading. So, curious to know which books MPs have been asking us, as taxpayers, to buy for them, I lodged a Freedom of Information Act request.

Ben Gummer's Ten Minute Rule Bill (to be introduced tomorrow) builds on something we suggested years ago. Well, two things, in fact.

2011 has been a year of passionate political protests around the world, often provoked by high levels of corruption in public life. Many citizens feel their leaders and public institutions are neither transparent nor accountable, and all too often are systemically corrupt.

Last week, Chris Cook in the FT revealed that some Department for Education Special Advisers were using personal email accounts to organise various bi...