Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
22 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 550.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-15 | Food Hygiene Inspection & Enforcement (0&1 Rated Premises) 2024 | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for details on food hygiene inspections and enforcement actions for premises rated 0 or 1 between January and June 2024. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused the request, citing an exemption because the data is held for future publication as part of a new scheme. | ||
| 2025-06-24 | Earthscope tender & contract, follow up questions - reference 4632837 | Not upheld |
| The requester sought clarification on procurement irregularities, missing documentation, and potential governance failures regarding the Earthscope contract for the Net Zero Isle of Man project. The authority's response provided the initial service specification and engagement requirements for the project but did not address the specific allegations of procedural breaches or provide the requested audit trails and exemption details. | ||
| 2025-06-20 | Food Hygiene Reports & Photographic Records relating to FOI 4671990 | Not upheld |
| The request sought detailed food hygiene inspection reports and photographic records for six specific establishments with an indicative rating of one. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused the request, citing that disclosure would prejudice the effective conduct of public business under Section 35 of the Act. | ||
| 2024-12-16 | Policy No: EPU/05/2024/V1 | Not upheld |
| A request was made for all planning documents, meeting notes, and correspondence regarding the Waste Regulation Policy for Small Mixed Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (SMW). The response disclosed a 10-page guidance note detailing the identification, hazards, storage, and transport requirements for SMW, though the outcome of the FOI case was 'Not upheld'. | ||
| 2024-01-29 | emails with ramsey town commissioners referencing racist language | Not upheld |
| 2023-12-06 | Information pertaining to 22/11 meeting with Ramsey Town Commissioners | Not upheld |
| 2023-02-28 | Request for information on wool control management agreements | Not upheld |
| 2022-08-17 | Publication of Responses to Requests for information under the FOIA | Not upheld |
| 2021-11-29 | Roberts Report | Not upheld |
| The requester sought the 'Roberts Report' and Dr. Roberts's commission documents regarding an investigation into a senior DEFA officer, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed it does not hold these records as they were commissioned by the Public Services Commission. | ||
| 2021-06-15 | Redaction of names from planning application details | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for the Information Commissioner's advice and correspondence regarding the redaction of names from planning applications on the Planning Searches website. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture provided the requested documents, which included legal opinions on data protection and the publication of objector details. | ||
| 2020-09-29 | planning complaint | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for the name of the individual who submitted a planning complaint regarding Field 124093 near Regaby Veg Farm. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to disclose the name, citing an absolute exemption for personal data under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2020-08-24 | Registered buildings | Not upheld |
| 2020-03-09 | Livestock Births | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for total annual livestock births and imports on the Isle of Man, categorized by animal type and origin. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to provide the data directly, citing that cattle birth and import statistics are already reasonably accessible on their official website. | ||
| 2020-02-24 | Country side payments | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for total payments, land names, and recipient details for countryside payments over the last 12 months. The authority provided links to aggregate statistics but refused to disclose specific land names and recipient identities due to practical refusal grounds and personal data exemptions. | ||
| 2020-02-14 | Buildings worthy of registration not yet registered | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for a list of buildings identified as potentially worthy of protection but not yet registered, which was refused under exemptions for publicly available information and ongoing research. The subsequent internal review upheld the refusal, noting that arguments regarding the age of research reports would be addressed in a separate outstanding request. | ||
| 2019-02-22 | Review request for multiple responses | Not upheld |
| 2018-07-11 | ADS Duplicate Fields | Not upheld |
| 2018-07-10 | DSAR info re"classification" and "Upland Policy" | Not upheld |
| The applicant requested details on a changed classification and a draft Uplands Policy, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to release the classification data as exempt personal information and directed the applicant to publicly available documents for the policy. | ||
| 2018-07-09 | Information further to DSAR re "different approach" & "Billabong Man" | Not upheld |
| The applicant requested documents regarding a 'different approach' and the identity of 'Billabong Man', but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused both requests citing exemptions for personal data. | ||
| 2018-04-09 | Recent redevelopment, 2 dwellings, Gelling's Avenue, Port St. Mary | Not upheld |
| The request sought all correspondence, file notes, dimensions, site levels, declarations of interest, and completion certificates regarding a redevelopment of two dwellings on Gelling's Avenue. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the requested information via a password-protected memory stick, with some personal data redacted and publicly available planning details noted as exempt. | ||
| 2017-09-28 | ADS Payment reduction | Not upheld |
| The applicant requested documentation regarding ADS payment reductions and sanctions for 2016-2017, including comparisons with other farmers. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to provide specific internal documents citing practical refusal reasons and exemptions for personal data, while directing the applicant to publicly available statistics and appeal outcomes. | ||
| 2017-08-18 | Land Classification | Not upheld |
| The requester sought documentation proving the 2008-2009 land classification process for the Country Care Scheme was followed correctly, specifically regarding fields 224567 and 135050. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed that the Scottish Agricultural College conducted the survey using aerial and habitat maps, confirmed no appeals were lodged for the specific fields, and provided links to the policy and claim forms. | ||