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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-12-08 | Meat Plant - successful proposal & tender process costs | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the successful proposal and tender costs for the Isle of Man Meat Plant, but the authority disclosed that the tender was cancelled and no winning proposal exists. The only costs provided were for advertising the Prior Information Notice, totaling £609.60, as officer time was covered by daily duties. | ||
| 2017-12-06 | Ballamoar Farm - farm waste entering Barnel stream | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for details on investigations, cautions, and prosecutions regarding farm waste from Ballamoar Farm entering the Barnel Stream since 2010. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the number of investigations but withheld information on cautions issued under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2017-12-05 | Costs ass. with Pitbull dog | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for all costs associated with the seizure and quarantine of a pit-bull type dog named Rex. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the travel costs for a visiting UK officer but confirmed it held no information regarding the dog's removal, quarantine, or trial costs. | ||
| 2017-12-01 | Boarding and Homestay inspections | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought inspection reports and dates for boarding and homestay establishments over the past two years. While the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture provided a list of inspection dates, the actual reports were withheld as they contain exempt personal data. | ||
| 2017-11-08 | Accident at IOM Meats | Information not held |
| A requester sought all documentation related to a 2016 accident at Isle of Man Meats, including payslips and reports, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold this information as the company is privately owned. The request for personal data was also refused under an absolute exemption. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-10-31 | Scaffolding in stream | All information sent |
| The requester sought information regarding an alleged enquiry by the Department of Fisheries to Manx Utilities about scaffolding in a stream near their home. The Department confirmed no such enquiry occurred, clarifying that communications were actually regarding drainage pipe discharges and flood risk management works on the opposite bank. | ||
| 2017-10-20 | SKANCO Palm trees | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details regarding a tree felling authorization for SKANCO at Spring Valley to remove two mature palm trees. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the application and the licence decision, noting a typographical error in the licence date. | ||
| 2017-10-19 | Workplace Compliance Solutions Ltd | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought the cost to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for engaging Workplace Compliance Solutions Ltd, specifically regarding services for the meat plant. The department disclosed costs for a pre-assessment appraisal and SALSA training, noting that further BRC accreditation costs were paid directly by the meat plant. | ||
| 2017-10-19 | ADS acreage rate and Meat Plant tender | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the ADS acreage rate and a Meat Plant tender, to which the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded by sending all requested information. | ||
| 2017-10-15 | Chatham House Environment Conference costs | All information sent |
| The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the full breakdown of costs and attendee list for the 2017 Chatham House Environment Conference, along with the strategic benefits of participation for the Isle of Man's climate policy. | ||
| 2017-10-15 | Eastern Area Plan | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the next document in the Eastern Area Plan process, but the department stated it does not hold this information as the function has been transferred to the Cabinet Office. | ||
| 2017-10-10 | Meat Plant Tender and Costs | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the meat plant tender outcome and subvention payments made by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. The authority disclosed that the tender decision was pending after presentations and confirmed £500,000 in payments were made since April 2017. | ||
| 2017-10-09 | Castlemona Hotel - Registered Building Inspections | All information sent |
| A request was made for inspection reports of the Castlemona Hotel under Registration of Buildings legislation, to which the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed a list of site visits and available reports while noting that hard copy files were temporarily inaccessible due to renovations. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-09-28 | Agricultural occupancy conditions | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on breaches and enforcement actions regarding 266 planning approvals with agricultural occupancy conditions. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture explained that the 266 figure could not be accurately mapped to specific addresses but disclosed 11 alleged breach investigations and details on subsequent regularization applications. | ||
| 2017-09-28 | Development of tourist accomodation - Glamping | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request asked the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for data on meetings and site identifications regarding glamping development between 2014 and 2017. The authority disclosed that while no specific ministerial meeting records were found, department officers held 30 meetings, approximately 21 sites were identified for potential development, and 3 sites were actively scoped during the specified period. | ||
| 2017-08-29 | EfW Plant and RHCC | All information sent |
| The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded to a request for the Energy from Waste Plant licence, subsequent amendments, and minutes regarding the cessation of the Richmond Hill Consultative Committee. All requested information was disclosed, though some personal data within the documents was redacted under data protection laws. | ||
| 2017-08-27 | Peel Silt Analysis | All information sent |
| A request for details on Peel Marina dredging and Raggatt Leachate disposal was partially answered, with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stating it does not hold specific operational data for most questions. Information regarding heavy metal analysis and leachate results was withheld under exemptions related to the ongoing formulation of government policy. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-08-15 | Richmond Hill CC minutes etc | Information not held |
| The request sought minutes and agreements regarding the Richmond Hill Consultative Committee, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it did not hold the specific 2016 meeting minutes or the signed 2012 agreement, while refusing to re-supply previously provided briefing notes and minutes under a practical refusal reason. | ||
| 2017-08-07 | Heritage Railway Safety Incidents | All information sent |
| The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded to a request for safety incident details regarding Isle of Man Heritage Railways since October 2011, disclosing three specific incidents and identifying the vehicle involved in a brake failure. | ||
| 2017-07-12 | Planning Enforcement Complaint | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for details regarding a planning enforcement complaint about a new build house on Kella Road, Sulby. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed holding the information but refused disclosure entirely, citing exemptions for confidential information and ongoing investigations. | ||
| 2017-07-08 | Peel Marina dredging & Raggatt Leachate | Information not held |
| The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold specific data regarding Peel Marina dredging and Raggatt Leachate disposal, referring those queries to the Department of Infrastructure. Information regarding policy formulation for these issues was withheld under FOI exemptions due to ongoing reviews and cross-departmental work. | ||
| 2017-07-05 | Meat Plant tender submissions | Repeated request |
| 2017-06-01 | Agricultural occupancy conditions | All information sent |
| 2017-05-08 | Lorne House | Vexatious request |
| A request for all correspondence and file notes regarding Lorne House between May 2015 and May 2017 was partially fulfilled with two bundles of documents before being deemed vexatious due to the excessive burden on departmental resources. | ||
| 2017-05-04 | Hill Farm Payments | Information not held |
| 2017-04-25 | Turkeyland Waste Licence | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the Turkeyland Waste Licence. The authority responded by sending all requested information, consisting of 33 pages across one document. | ||
| 2017-04-19 | Planning App. 10/01892/B | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding Planning Application 10/01892/B. The authority responded by releasing some information while withholding parts of the 27-page document due to exemptions. | ||
| 2017-04-17 | Meat Plant Expressions of Interest | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2017-03-23 | Broomfield Cottage Planning Enforcement | All information sent |
| 2017-03-19 | Brazilian Meat | Information not held |
| 2017-02-19 | Farm names and payments | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2017-02-05 | Dog numbers | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2017-01-30 | Farmer Payments | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding farmer payments, resulting in the full disclosure of a list of 346 individual payment amounts for the year 2015. | ||
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