This time last year, I wrote in my column about the need to reform Freedom of Information legislation in Scotland (or FOI) and why I was launching a member's bill on the issue.

A year later and after extensive consultation with the wider public, I am pleased to say I have now earned the right to introduce that bill having received support from across the Scottish Parliament.

My key argument is simple: too many organisations delivering public services in this country aren't subject to FOI as it stands. In total, around 130 "arms-length organisations" receive public money, and they have an annual spend of more than £1.3billion.

Among these, private care homes are perhaps the most prominent example. They are statutorily exempt from providing key information when you request it, despite our tax money being used to pay for care for elderly family members.

With that in mind, it's notable that the Scottish Government have now (belatedly) agreed to a public consultation on extending FOI to private providers but only in the care sector and only after the passage of the National Care Service Bill, which is itself delayed and not expected to pass until near the end of the decade.

That's not remotely good enough. Under the current status quo, organisations - which are often opaquely owned - are receiving public money to make critical decisions that affect so many of us with next to no scrutiny whatsoever.

This is bad for governance, bad for transparency and bad for democracy.

Public information should follow the public pound. I would hope that principle is shared by all political parties.

Disappointingly, no SNP or Green MSPs signed my final proposal for a bill. I sincerely hope that changes at Stage 1.

Members' bills work when there's cross-party consensus on the need for change, and the truth is that all governments, regardless of persuasion, should be committed to transparency.

Unfortunately, the Scottish Government has frequently and repeatedly failed on transparency, having effectively been in special measures for five years over its performance on FOI, with the previous commissioner identifying significant failures in record keeping and complying with procedures.

Figures from 2021 suggested as many as 14% of responses by Scottish public bodies – including councils, health boards and government departments – were being issued after the 20-day statutory deadline.

Even then, many of these responses will likely fail to provide the necessary information, often citing numerous exemptions.

That's why my bill, which I hope to formally lodge in the next few months, will reduce exemptions, encourage proactive publication, improve enforcement powers and close obstructive loopholes.

I believe it's past time the Scottish Government lived up to its international obligations around transparency and human rights.

Three quarters of respondents to my consultation were overwhelmingly supportive of my proposed reforms.

I hope ministers do the right thing and take them on board as we seek access to information fit for the modern day.