Home Office tries to shift our Tracer Gas Trials Environmental Information regulations request over to DEFRA
After sending a reminder email on Thursday 21st June 2007, i.e. 2 days after the 20 working day limit for our original request, the Home Office seems to be trying the bureaucratic tactic of "it's nuffing to do wiv us", and claim that they are forwarding the email to the Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs.
What possible relevance DEFRA has to some research being conducted for anti-terrorism and national security purposes, which was announced via a Ministerial Statement by Home Office Minister Tony McNulty, who also answered two Parliamentary Written Questions from Labour MP and political blogger Tom Watson on these trials.
These Written Answers partially answered one of our EIR questions within the 20 working day period of oir EIR request, something which the Department should have advised us of, bearing in mind the criticisms by the Information Commissioner in similar cases, including our own long running struggle with the Office for Government Commerce / Home Office over the Gateway Reviews for the Identity Cards Programme.
So far as we can see, since the Environmental Impact Regulations 2004 are not as constrained as the Freedom of Information Act 2000, with regards to Exemptions, but we still have to wait for an Internal Review of the handling of our request by a different section of the Home Office, before complaining to the Information Commissioner.
Dear Sirs.I am puzzled how the Westminster Tracer Gas trials, which were announced by Home Office Minister of State Tony McNulty, via a Ministerial Statement statement on 17 May 2007, Official Report, column 46WS,
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070517/wmstext/
70517m0001.htm#07051786000156and who subsequently partly answered one of the Questions in my EIR request via two Parliamentary Written Answers to Labour MP Tom Watson on 12 June i.e. within the 20 working day period of my EIR request:
Terrorism Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the recent tracer gas trials in the Westminster area as part of the Department’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Science and Technology Programme; what discussions he has held on further such trials; and if he will make a statement. [141700]Mr. McNulty [holding answer 11 June 2007]: It is not clear what type of assessment the question refers to. The trial is ongoing and the results will be assessed in due course to improve our understanding of the movement of material in the urban environment.
Further discussions have taken place in respect of the planned second phase of the trial which will be undertaken in early 2008 following analysis of the first phase results.
We encourage the publication of research results but this may be restricted for reasons of national security.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the statement of 17 May 2007, Official Report, column 46WS, on Westminster tracer gas trials, what non-toxic gases were used in the Westminster area as part of the Department’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Science and Technology Programme. [141788]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 11 June 2007]: The non-toxic gases used in the trial belong to the family of chemicals known as cyclic perfluorocarbons. The actual gases released are: perfluoro methyl cyclohexane; meta perfluoro
dimethyl cyclohexane; and para perfluoro dimethyl cyclohexane.12 Jun 2007 : Column 979W
and which are being conducted under an anti-terrorism budget, are somehow the responsibility of the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs ?
regards
[name]
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Original Message:
-----------------
From: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:34:49 +0100
To: [email address]
Subject: Any progress ? - Environmental Information Regulations 2004 request regarding the Marylebone/Westminster Tracer Gas Trials.
[name],Reference : T18460/7
Date: 21-Jun-2007
TREAT OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Thank you for your e-mail of 21/06/2007 8:10:33 AM regarding.....
The matters you have raised are the responsibility of Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs.
We have therefore transferred your e-mail to
correspondence.section@defra.gsi.gov.uk, who will arrange for a reply to be sent to you.Transfer Desk
=====================================================
Dear Sirs
I was wondering if there is any progress on this Environmental
Information Regulations 2004 request regarding the Marylebone /
Westminster Tracer Gas Trials ?I had expected a reply earlier this week.
regards
[name]
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Home Office
Direct Communications Unit
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DFEmail: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Sunday 20th May 2007
Environmental Information Regulations 2004 request regarding the Marylebone/Westminster Tracer Gas Trials.
Dear Sirs,
Please disclose and publish the following information under the
Environmental Information Regulations 2004:With reference to the Tracer Gas Trials in Marylebone, Westminster London, starting on 20th May 2007, as described in Home Office Minister Tony McNulty's statement to Parliament on 17th May 2007:
http://security.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-publications/news-speeches/tracer-tri
als1) Please disclose and publish the Environmental Impact Assessment regarding these Marylebone / Westminster Tracer Gas Trials.
2) What exactly are the particular "non-toxic, odourless gases"
(plural) which will be released into the environment ?3) Are the Marylebone / Westminster Tracer Gas Trials intending to release Sulphur HexaFluoride's into the atmosphere ?
This gas was used in the London Underground trials mentioned in the Written Statement by The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Douglas Alexander) on the 15th March 2007
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070315/wmstext/
70315m0002.htm#07031543000165which are presumably the same ones mentioned to in the Home Office statement as well.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Sulphur HexaFluoride is the most potent "greenhouse gas" ever evaluated.
http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/248.htm
i.e. over 15,000 times the Global Warming effect of the same amount of Carbon Dioxide over 20 years, and with over 22,000 times the effect over 100 years.
3) Are any other "greenhouse gases" or "ozone layer destroying" gases such as ChloroFluoroCarbons (CFCs) like Freon to be used as Tracer Gases ? If so, what are the details ?
4) Are any of these Tracer Gases radioactive ? If so, what are the details ?
5) Approximately what volume or mass of these Tracer Gases is to be released into the environment ?
6) What is the anticipated extent of the area which will be exposed to the Tracer Gases ?
7) Are any Aerosols to be released into the environment as part of these trials ?
8) If any Aerosols are to be released, do these contain any natural biological organisms, or genetically modified organisms, or synthetic genetic sequence markers ?
Please provide the information ideally by publishing it on your public world wide website, or alternatively by email.
Ideally this should *NOT* be in the form of a "copy and paste" locked Adobe .pdf file, or similar, attachment.
In the unlikely event that this information is not already available in a standard electronic format, then please explain the reasons why, when you provide the information in another format.
If you are proposing to make a charge for providing the information requested, please provide full details in advance, together with an explanation of any proposed charge.
If you decide to withhold any of the information requested you should clearly explain why you have done so in your response, by reference to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 legislation.
If your decision to withhold is based upon an evaluation of the public interest, then you should clearly explain which public interests you have considered, and why you have decided that the public interest in maintaining the exception(s) outweighs the public interest in releasing the information.
I look forward to receiving the information requested as soon as
possible, and in any event within 20 working days of receipt of this email. i.e. by Tuesday 19th June 2007Yours faithfully
[name]
[address]
[email]