Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
71 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 170.4%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) reveal an authority that is selectively transparent, often releasing historical or aggregate data while vigorously protecting current operational details, enforcement identities, and policy formulations. A clear pattern emerges regarding financial accountability: while the department disclosed a comprehensive list of 346 farmer payments for 2015 (355013), subsequent requests for similar granular data were frequently blocked as 'repeated' (914723) or redirected to public websites (462340). This suggests a reluctance to provide real-time financial scrutiny of agricultural subsidies, even as significant public funds, such as the £500,000 in meat plant subventions (355069), are acknowledged.
Key Cases
Case 355013 — A rare instance of full transparency where the department disclosed a list of 346 individual farmer payment amounts for 2015, setting a benchmark for financial openness that was not consistently maintained in later years.
Case 675466 — The release of the full 53-page investigation report into the Snaefell Mountain Railway runaway tram incident, overturning a previous refusal (563738) and demonstrating that safety data is eventually accessible once legal proceedings conclude.
Case 355047 — A complete refusal to disclose details of a planning enforcement complaint on Kella Road, citing confidential information and ongoing investigations, highlighting the department's strict protection of enforcement processes from public view.
Case 355057 — The withholding of heavy metal analysis and leachate results for Peel Marina under 'policy formulation' exemptions, raising concerns about the transparency of environmental risk assessments and waste management data.
Case 355035 — A request regarding Lorne House was deemed 'vexatious' after partial fulfillment, illustrating the department's use of resource burden arguments to halt persistent inquiries into specific planning or housing issues.
Related FOI Stories
The Meat Plant Saga: Funding, Tenders, and Safety — #355069, #355075, #355099, #355087, #625866
Planning Enforcement and Whistleblower Protection — #355047, #355079, #361141, #856665, #922953
Environmental Data: Leachate, Dredging, and Water Quality — #355045, #355057, #500235, #935114, #1165449
Agricultural Subsidies and Farmer Payments — #355013, #355063, #462340, #914723, #973789
Safety Incidents: Railways and Transport — #355051, #563738, #675466, #682066
All (71)
All information sent (121) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (90) ·
Information not held (71) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (52) ·
Some information sent but not all held (38) ·
Not upheld (22) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (16) ·
Not required to fulfill request (12) ·
Upheld - partial (6) ·
Repeated request (4) ·
Withdrawn (1) ·
Vexatious request (1) ·
Upheld - full (1) ·
Decision Notice - Complaint not upheld (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-16 | Earystane Forest | Information not held |
| Cair Vie Resistance requested confirmation of any agreements or approvals regarding the sale or transfer of Earystane Forest and Cringle Great Park to Manx Utilities Authority. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such agreements, memoranda, or ministerial approvals exist. | ||
| 2026-01-22 | Transportation of, and dumping of silt from Peel Marina at Cross Vein | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the total or estimated cost of an Environmental Impact Assessment for a planning application regarding silt transportation from Peel Marina. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Infrastructure instead. | ||
| 2026-01-21 | Costs of transportation of silt from Peel Marina to Cross Vein mine | Information not held |
| A request was made for cost estimates regarding the transportation of silt from Peel Marina to Cross Vein Mine and associated remediation works. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Infrastructure instead. | ||
| 2025-12-10 | PL 777 BOY SHAYNE 2 | Information not held |
| A request was made to determine if a loan accompanied a 40% subsidy for the purchase of the fishing vessel PL 777 Boy Shayne. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such loan was provided, resulting in the information not being held. | ||
| 2025-12-03 | 'Manx meat in Tesco' | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the production, subsidies, and environmental impact of Isle of Man meats sold in Tesco. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information because Isle of Man Meats is not a public authority under the Freedom of Information Act. | ||
| 2025-12-02 | Reayrt Vradda - Demolition Waste | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a waste exemption application form submitted by Reayrt Vradda in August 2023 and an explanation for why the matter was not followed up if no form existed. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no written application was ever received, though site inspections confirmed the waste was used for approved construction purposes under existing regulations. | ||
| 2025-11-12 | Isle of Man LiDAR data | Information not held |
| A request was made for island-wide LiDAR data (xyz, intensity, and/or rgb) from the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, but the authority confirmed it does not hold this information. | ||
| 2025-10-28 | Halal slaughter | Information not held |
| A request was made for statistics on the percentage of sheep slaughtered using Halal methods and details on sheep exports from the Isle of Man. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold this information. | ||
| 2025-09-09 | Single Use Vapes Ban - Lack of Progress | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the post-consultation report and progress update regarding a ban on single-use vapes, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated the information is not currently held due to resource constraints. | ||
| 2025-08-15 | AG's advice to [REDACTED] 26 July 2019 | Information not held |
| A request was made for Attorney General's advice dated 26 July 2019, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that the information is not held. The authority accepted a submitted Stage 2 appeal form as a Stage 1 internal review after consulting the Attorney General's Chambers. | ||
| 2025-08-07 | Sales from the Meat Plant | Information not held |
| A cafe owner requested an explanation for why Isle of Man Meat Plant products cannot be sold directly to food businesses and asked for the relevant legislation. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold the specific information requested, citing a political position to protect the butchery sector and noting that the Meat Plant is not a public authority under the FOIA. | ||
| 2025-05-29 | Public toilets at Glen Helen | Information not held |
| A request was made for the tender date and annual cost of cleaning public toilets at Glen Helen, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold this information as they are not responsible for the contract. | ||
| 2025-04-29 | What "changed" classification re Min Boot's enquiry of 22 Nov 2016 | Information not held |
| The requester sought documentation regarding specific field classification changes and the reasons behind them, as discussed between Minister Boot and Peter McEvoy in November 2016. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that the requested information is not held. | ||
| 2025-04-15 | Ecological surveys of onshore wind farm site | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a list of ecological licences issued to Manx Utilities Authority for the Earystane and Scard wind farm, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed it holds no such information as no licences were issued. | ||
| 2025-03-12 | Lockdown Diving Exemptions | Information not held |
| A request was made for records regarding diving permissions or exceptions granted by DEFA during the April 2020 COVID lockdown. The authority responded that the information is not held because no such permissions were ever granted by the department. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on Settlement Agreements issued by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture since September 2021, including reasons, compensation figures, and a template. The authority responded that no such agreements were issued during the specified period and no template is held on file. | ||
| 2024-11-18 | MT Buyout | Information not held |
| A request was made for all correspondence held by Minister Clare Barber regarding Manx Telecom's offer for the Isle of Man Government to buy out the telecommunications provider. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such information is held. | ||
| 2024-09-24 | Sinking of Manx fishing vessels | Information not held |
| A request was made for details of Manx fishing vessels that sank since 2011 and had their licenses revoked, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold this specific information. | ||
| 2024-09-02 | FoI Costs | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the cost of providing Freedom of Information responses over the past three financial years, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold this data as it is not required to calculate officer time or monetary value. Instead, the authority disclosed the number of requests received and the staffing structure of the team handling them. | ||
| 2024-06-28 | Health Impact from current Power Plants | Information not held |
| A request was made for calculations regarding the public health impact and societal cost of NOx and SOx emissions from Pulrose and Peel power stations. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that the information is not held as no such calculations have been undertaken. | ||
| 2024-02-22 | Internal Policy on Administrative Procedures | Information not held |
| 2023-12-19 | Castletown failed land review | Information not held |
| 2023-10-10 | Complaints made against the flora in Cronk Grianagh Estate | Information not held |
| 2023-10-09 | Planning permission of Sirius Insight Mast at the VOR site off | Information not held |
| 2023-08-29 | Carbon Neutral | Information not held |
| 2023-07-25 | The Wreck of the Claire Anne - 2nd request | Information not held |
| 2023-06-12 | 2017 Porch repairs to 8 The Promenade Castletown | Information not held |
| 2023-04-28 | Rental and tenancy agreements for the building used for Wool Control | Information not held |
| 2023-02-14 | Statutory Nuisance Investigations | Information not held |
| 2023-02-07 | Delegations of functions to local authorities | Information not held |
| 2023-02-07 | Grant Received | Information not held |
| 2023-01-31 | Copy of DEFA contract with Brannach Olann for wool control management | Information not held |
| 2023-01-02 | Seeking information for the Lord Street car park complex | Information not held |
| 2022-11-30 | Planning Committee Applications - Review by Senior Officer | Information not held |
| 2022-03-01 | Climate Change Funding | Information not held |
| A request was made for detailed breakdowns of £56m in climate change funding and staff data for the Climate Change Transformation Team. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that it does not hold the requested information and suggested contacting the Cabinet Officer instead. | ||
| 2022-02-04 | DEFA money paid to Chief Minister Mr Howard Quayle. | Information not held |
| A request was made to confirm if Chief Minister Howard Quayle received DEFA grants or loans between 2016 and 2021. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such payments were made to him during his tenure, with the last payment to his business occurring in April 2016. | ||
| 2021-11-10 | Use of greenway tracks in the Manx countryside | Information not held |
| The requester asked for copies of permits issued to the IOM Four Wheel Drive Club for driving on Greenway tracks between 2014 and the present. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Infrastructure instead. | ||
| 2021-10-19 | Off road injury data | Information not held |
| The requester asked for injury data and Health & Safety reports regarding motorcycle riding at the Snuff the Wind site. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2021-09-21 | UN COP26 invitations etc | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding invitations and attendance of Isle of Man staff at UN COP26 events. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information because no staff members from the department were invited to attend. | ||
| 2021-07-14 | Area Plan North Private Woodland or Parkland Designation proposals | Information not held |
| The requester sought information on proposed amendments to the Area Plan North regarding Private Woodland or Parkland designations and related legislation. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that it does not hold the requested information for most items, suggesting the Cabinet Office instead, and confirmed no current review of the Tree Preservation Act. | ||
| 2021-06-30 | Planning application 18/00240/B | Information not held |
| The requester asked for officer notebooks, phone notes, diary entries, and photographs related to planning application 18/00240/B for Ballavarvane, St Marks. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no additional material is held as all relevant information is already publicly available on the government planning website. | ||
| 2021-05-18 | Information Provided to Stewart Clague (Ballannette Trust) | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for details regarding consultations with Stewart Clague of the Ballannette Trust concerning land work in Laxey. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2021-01-18 | Conflict of Interest for Planning Appeal related to PA 19/01441/B | Information not held |
| The appellant requested all correspondence demonstrating the absence of a conflict of interest regarding planning appeal PA 19/01441/B. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such information is held because there is no requirement to demonstrate an absence of conflict, though they confirmed no staff or committee members declared an interest. | ||
| 2020-09-10 | Planning consideration | Information not held |
| The requester asked for retail strategy documentation regarding the Crosby Co-Op approval and its impact on Douglas and Peel sectors, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold this specific information. | ||
| 2020-09-04 | Correspondence relating to plans for Ramsey Quayside & Flood Defences | Information not held |
| A request was made for correspondence regarding flood defence and regeneration plans for Ramsey Quayside between 2017 and 2020. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold the information as no planning application has been submitted yet. | ||
| 2020-08-12 | Legal costs | Information not held |
| The requester asked for total legal costs incurred by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding a trespass accusation against Mr. Dan Richardson. The department responded that it does not hold this information, noting that the Attorney General's Chambers may have relevant data. | ||
| 2020-08-03 | Hmo list | Information not held |
| A request was made for a list of registered HMOs in the Isle of Man including addresses and license details. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to provide the information, stating it is already reasonably accessible from local authorities under Section 20 of the Act. | ||
| 2020-06-02 | Planning Appeals - additional information to Info Request 1311710 | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on planning appeal hearings and written considerations for applications submitted after January 1, 2020. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold this information and directed the requester to the Cabinet Office, which manages the appeals process. | ||
| 2020-06-01 | Planning Appeals - extant requests | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on extant planning appeals and determined appeals without site visits, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to provide the data directly. | ||
| 2020-02-04 | Dredging and disposal of silt from Peel Harbour | Information not held |
| A request was made for a cost breakdown of dredging and silt removal from Peel Harbour between 2015 and 2020, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that it does not hold the information. | ||
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