Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
12 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 1008.3%
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
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-12-12 | Herring Catch returns 2023 | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2020-03-09 | analysis of mine spoil , harbour silt and river water quality | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request for analysis of mine spoil, harbour silt, and river water quality in the Foxdale and Glen Rushen areas was closed because the applicant failed to provide requested clarification within 28 days. The authority noted that some information was already publicly available and other data could not be located without more specific location details. | ||
| 2019-08-01 | Land Classification | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request was made for an email extract regarding land classification involving Minister Boot and Marant Farming Ltd. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture determined it was not required to fulfill the request and closed the case. | ||
| 2019-05-08 | Ramsey Marina | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2019-05-02 | Transfer Stations | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2019-04-11 | Single Use Plastic Usage | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request for specific figures on single-use plastic usage by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture was refused because compiling the data would require research not mandated by the Freedom of Information Act 2015. However, the department provided a partial audit appendix and information on their ongoing reduction plan. | ||
| 2018-10-26 | The funding to the meat plant in relation to animal numbers | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for monthly government funding per livestock unit for the Isle of Man meat plant from September 2013 to August 2018. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused the request, stating that compiling the data would constitute substantial work not required under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2018-10-01 | Disposal of General Waste Tels | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding waste disposal practices by Tels Ltd, including shredding and landfill procedures. The authority refused to fulfill the request, stating it sought explanatory answers and analysis rather than existing recorded information. | ||
| 2018-05-01 | Site G Knock Rushen Castletown | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request for all information regarding 'Site G' on the Castletown land review plan was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. The authority declined to fulfill the request as written, citing that it was too broad and the effort required was disproportionate to the resources available. | ||
| 2018-04-27 | Expenditure on single use plastics within the department | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request was made for expenditure figures on single-use plastics by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, but the authority refused to fulfill it because compiling the data would require research and analysis not mandated by the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2017-11-06 | Horse & Plough Fence and Douglas Promenade | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester sought confirmation regarding the removal of a fence at the Horse & Plough and copies of planning inspector reports for the Douglas Promenade. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to fulfill the request because the applicant failed to provide necessary clarification within the statutory 28-day period. | ||
| 2017-02-19 | Farm names and payments | Not required to fulfill request |