Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
436 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 27.8%
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 (436)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-01-17 | Antrim mooragh Prom Ramsey Survey | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The applicant requested a survey for Flat 19 at Antrim Mooragh and details on other flats in the building. The authority disclosed the specific findings for Flat 19 but withheld information regarding other flats under an exemption for personal data. | ||
| 2020-01-13 | Live exports from the IOM | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for statistics on live farm animal exports from the Isle of Man was partially fulfilled, with export numbers directed to public websites while final destination details were withheld under health and safety exemptions. | ||
| 2020-01-09 | Births, deaths and escapes at Curraghs Wildlife Park | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding animal statistics, financial data, and welfare practices at Curraghs Wildlife Park since 2015. The authority responded by providing a comprehensive species list with population counts as of December 2019 and detailed records of specific animal transfers, including donations and loans. | ||
| 2020-01-09 | Animals killed at abattoir or exported | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought data on animal slaughter methods, export figures, and bird killing regulations on the Isle of Man since 2015. The authority confirmed that stunning is mandatory for all abattoir processing but withheld specific throughput numbers due to commercial confidence and export destinations due to health and safety concerns. | ||
| 2019-12-24 | Boot's personal appointments of the unlawful Planning Committee | All information sent |
| The requester sought copies of appointment letters for Planning Committee members after being told they were not held by the initial contact. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed a sample appointment letter for a member named Mrs. Comish, detailing the terms of service, remuneration, and conduct requirements. | ||
| 2019-12-23 | Flooding of River Laxey on 1st October 2019 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for documents regarding land ownership, flood defense strategies, and repair works on the River Laxey following the 2015 and 2019 flooding events. The authority responded with some information but withheld parts of the request, citing exemptions and referring certain queries to other sections of the response. | ||
| 2019-12-10 | Winning entrants of the Retrofit for the Future ideas competition | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2019-12-10 | DEFA // Katya Katkova // eastlondonmornings | Information not held |
| A requester asked the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for all correspondence and financial documentation regarding Katya Katkova in 2019, but the authority responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2019-12-10 | PA 19/00466/B Ballaugh Planning Approval | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The applicant requested all correspondence and paperwork regarding planning application PA 19/00466/B, including a specific drawing and enforcement details. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture withheld enforcement information under law enforcement exemptions and personal complaint data under absolute personal information exemptions, while directing the applicant to online resources for general planning details. | ||
| 2019-12-09 | Biomass | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the costs, fuel usage, and efficiency of a biomass installation at a sawmill. The authority disclosed full details including installation costs, weekly fuel consumption, boiler efficiency, and the absence of additional manpower costs. | ||
| 2019-11-19 | Control of Wool Order | All information sent |
| The requester asked about prosecutions under the Control of Wool Order and the management process since 2011. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed no violations or prosecutions have occurred and explained that the annual Order was replaced by a Minister-approved pricing process to make the service cost-neutral. | ||
| 2019-11-14 | Proposed implementation of all island 5G Masts coverage | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the number, location, and environmental impact of proposed 5G masts on the Isle of Man. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2019-11-12 | Planning - Designated Voluntary Organisations s40 TCPA 1999 | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the names of voluntary organisations designated under section 40 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1999 that submitted rules and accounts around 2005/2006. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that the information is not held, noting that the request predates the current FOI Act and that the relevant policy function has since moved to other departments. | ||
| 2019-11-12 | Planning Appeals Time Taken | All information sent |
| The requester asked for average processing times for written and hearing-based planning appeals for 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. The authority responded by disclosing a specific instance of a 2019 decision that took 1,399 days, without providing the requested average statistics. | ||
| 2019-11-07 | Planning Application: 18/00811/C | Information not held |
| A request was made for the Independent Planning Inspector's report regarding minibus parking at Kirk Michael School, but the information was withheld as it is exempt under Section 41 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 because it is held for future publication. | ||
| 2019-11-07 | Control of Wool Order | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for statistics on wool sales licence applications and approvals since 2000. The authority disclosed that two applications were made since October 2011, neither of which were approved, but could not provide data prior to that date as the FOI Act does not apply. | ||
| 2019-10-15 | Agriculture financial support breakdown. | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for a five-year breakdown of agricultural financial support for Isle of Man farmers, categorized by sector and scheme. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded with partial information, providing a detailed table of specific grant applications, approvals, rejections, and payments rather than a full aggregated statistical breakdown. | ||
| 2019-10-15 | What wildlife was found and where in Braddan, in particular, in 2012? | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for wildlife survey results from Braddan in 2012 and subsequent years, but the authority stated it does not hold this specific information. | ||
| 2019-10-14 | RIDDOR information relating to falls in retail areas | All information sent |
| The requester asked for RIDDOR submissions from Marks & Spencer PLC in Douglas since 2011, and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture provided 6 redacted copies. | ||
| 2019-10-14 | E-mail correspondence re my complaint against Richard Lole | Upheld - partial |
| The requester sought email correspondence between the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and the Public Services Commission regarding a complaint against Richard Lole after an initial informal request was declined due to recusal. The Information Commissioner upheld the request partially, though the provided text primarily outlines the appeal process and closes the review. | ||
| 2019-10-02 | Laxey River Wall Removal (DEFA) | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| 2019-10-02 | Recycling of plastic food packaging waste, tetra pack materials | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture about the final destination of plastic food packaging and tetra pack waste collected via roadside boxes. The authority responded that it does not hold this information, as recycling collection is managed by local councils and the Department of Infrastructure. | ||
| 2019-09-26 | Michael Hurley | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for employment records of Michael Hurley regarding his work on the east area plan inquiry. The department responded that it does not hold this information because the relevant functions fall under the Cabinet Office. | ||
| 2019-09-23 | Demolitions | Upheld - partial |
| The requester asked for the number of planning approvals for demolishing detached, non-registered buildings outside conservation areas since October 2011. The authority disclosed that such demolitions do not require planning approval, but provided a statistic of 282 demolition notices issued under the Building Control Act 1991 since January 2011. | ||
| 2019-09-05 | s40 Voluntary Organisations | All information sent |
| 2019-08-30 | Are red grouse or other gamebirds being released on the Isle of Man? | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request asked for data on red grouse and gamebird releases on the Isle of Man since 2011, but the authority disclosed only one specific research project from 2014-15 while confirming no other records exist. | ||
| 2019-08-30 | Control and culling of wildlife | All information sent |
| The request sought details on wildlife control and culling by the Isle of Man government since 2011, excluding rats and mice. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed annual statistics for predator control on its upland estate from 2011 to 2019, focusing on crows, magpies, gulls, rabbits, and ferrets to protect endangered ground-nesting birds. | ||
| 2019-08-28 | How many Schedule 4 birds are kept on the IOM, and what species? | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought data on Schedule 4 bird species kept on the Isle of Man since 2011, including locations and reasons for keeping them. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture provided species counts for 2011/12, 2013/14, and 2015/16 but refused to disclose geographic locations, 2017/18 figures, or reasons for keeping the birds due to the substantial compilation exemption. | ||
| 2019-08-22 | River Water Quality | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request for river water quality testing reports from the last 12 months was refused by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. The authority cited that the 2018 report is being drafted for future publication and the 2019 data is incomplete, making disclosure exempt under Section 41 of the Act. | ||
| 2019-08-15 | Policy and guidelines towards use of departmental resources | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| A requester asked the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for policies on political party use of departmental resources, along with lists of web domains and social media accounts. The request lapsed without any information being provided because the requester failed to respond to clarification emails from the authority. | ||
| 2019-08-13 | Alleged Breach of Planning Control (Ref 19/00004/COU) | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made to identify the person or persons who lodged a complaint regarding an alleged breach of planning control (Ref 19/00004/COU). The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to disclose the information, citing that it constitutes absolutely exempt personal data. | ||
| 2019-08-06 | Weekly kill rate | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request for weekly livestock kill rates, export inspection details, mortality statistics, and transport locations was made to the Isle of Man Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. The authority withheld information on kill rates and transport locations citing commercial and safety exemptions, while stating that data on inspections and mortality was not held. | ||
| 2019-08-05 | Field boundary inspections | All information sent |
| The requester asked for all documentation regarding field boundary inspections for Mount Karrin Farm, specifically concerning a dispute with the Cleaters. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded by releasing all requested information via attached documents. | ||
| 2019-08-05 | Payments made | Repeated request |
| The requester asked for total payments to farmers and the highest payments to the top three farmers over the last 12 months. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to answer, citing that the request was substantially similar to one made in May 2019 and no reasonable interval had elapsed. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2019-07-29 | Data breaches | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| A request for data breach statistics and details from the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture was made but ultimately lapsed because the requester failed to provide necessary clarifications on the scope of the data. | ||
| 2019-07-22 | Disclosure of financial payments in relation to these specific fields | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought agricultural financial payment data for specific fields from 2007 to 2019, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed that no field-by-field records existed prior to 2009 and no payments were made for the requested fields between 2009 and 2018. | ||
| 2019-07-19 | Ramsey Marina | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought details regarding a 2018 internal circular and subsequent comments from DEFA officers concerning a proposed Ramsey Marina. The authority disclosed the specific technical and environmental feedback provided by the Fisheries Directorate and Ecosystem Policy Team, noting the proposal was premature and lacked necessary assessments. | ||
| 2019-07-15 | Penalties for Bracken | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought documentation regarding the implementation and specific penalties for Bracken Fern under the Agricultural Development Scheme (ADS) for 2018. The authority disclosed the regulatory history and specific acreage penalties for two businesses but withheld detailed records citing exemptions for research effort, public availability, and commercial interests. | ||
| 2019-07-04 | Agreed Extensions of 21 day period after planning decision notice. | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on extensions granted to the 21-day appeal period for planning decisions over the last five years. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such extensions exist under current statute, meaning no data was available to disclose. | ||
| 2019-06-13 | Requesting information regarding an informant to the planning control | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the identity of an informant who reported a garage roof issue to planning enforcement, citing potential harassment. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to disclose the information, citing an absolute exemption for personal data under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2019-05-29 | PA19/00462/B | All information sent |
| A request was made for all recorded contacts between the DEFA Planning Department and Manx Utilities Authority regarding planning application PA19/00462/B between May 17 and May 24, 2019. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed that all requested information was sent to the applicant. | ||
| 2019-05-17 | Ramsey Marina | All information sent |
| The request sought correspondence, meeting records, and awareness details regarding the proposed Ramsey Marina between DEFA and Ramsey Marina Ltd. The authority disclosed all requested information, including a detailed press release outlining the project's design, costs, and economic benefits. | ||
| 2019-05-13 | Acreage Payments | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2019-05-10 | Glyphosate Useage | Information not held |
| The requester asked about government use of glyphosate in schools and plans to monitor its use on private agricultural land. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it holds no information on other departments' usage and confirmed there are currently no plans to monitor glyphosate use on private land. | ||
| 2019-05-08 | Ramsey Marina | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2019-05-06 | The Environmental impact of potential oil/gas exploration | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on the environmental impact assessment for oil and gas exploration off the Isle of Man's north-east coast. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded by providing an attached 'Environmental Sensitivity Assessment' from Crogga Limited and links to public marine environmental reports. | ||
| 2019-05-03 | Overturned appeals | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the application numbers of seven planning appeals where Mr Boot rejected independent inspector advice. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture provided all seven requested planning application numbers in full. | ||
| 2019-05-02 | Transfer Stations | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2019-05-02 | Disclosure of General Licence and Game Licence register | All information sent |
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