Working the Freedom of Information Act...

[Sandison]

Letter to Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department Minister.

 

Dear Mr Finnie

 

I am concerned by the contradictory nature of the response I have received to my request under the Freedom of Information Act in connection with the disposal of dead salmon at a site in North Uist, Western Isles. Mr Ken Wilson, in the SEERAD Benbecula Office, informed me on 22nd June (after a delay of 16 days), "I will now forward your original request to them [central unit in Edinburgh]". However, the following day I received an entirely different reply, copied below.

 

The extent of the damage that has been done to the machair and sand dunes at the site, and the procedures being used there to bury dead salmon are a cause for serious alarm. I included with my email to Ken Wilson photographs I had taken at the site during a visit I made 31st May/3rd June. In spite of that, Mr Wilson has said that he has no intention of inspecting the site until "later this year."

 

Might I ask you now to be so good as to have your SEERAD colleagues respond to my request for information under the Act?

 

Yours sincerely

 

Bruce Sandison

 

* A full report of my visit and the phototographs mentioned above can be seen on www.salmonfarmmonitor.org

 

*************************************************

 

Received from Mr Ken Wilson, SEERAD Benbecula Office, 23rd June 2005

 

Mr Sandison,

We have further considered your request below and given our minimal input have decided not to treat it as a formal FOI request but rather give you an informal reply on the points raised. I should make it clear that my responses relate only to agricultural and environmental issues and suggest that you raise any fishing related issues with our fisheries inspectorate.

 

We have had no input whatsoever into the establishment of this dump.

We have not inspected the site and have had no call to do so.

As we have not inspected we are not in a position to comment

While the site is within the ESA boundaries there are currently no Tier 2 management payments being made on it. It is in a plan and subject to Tier 1 prescriptions and will be inspected later this year as part of our routine inspection procedures. If there are any issues of concern we will deal with them at that stage.

Hope the above is of some help in the meantime.

 

Ken Wilson

 

*************************************************

Received from Mr Ken Wilson, SEERAD Benbecula Office, 22nd June 2005

 

Mr Sandison,

 

Sorry for the delay in replying but I have been out of the office quite a lot recently. FOI requests have to be submitted to our central unit in Edinburgh and I will now forward your original request to them. Hopefully you won’t have too much of a wait for a formal reply.

 

Ken Wilson

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Bruce Sandison [mailto:bruce@hysbackie.freeserve.co.uk]

Sent: 20 June 2005 12:49

To: SEERAD Benbecula

Subject: Fw: Freedom of Information Act - Disposal of dead farm salmon

Importance: High

 

I am concerned that I have yet to receive a reply to my previous emails under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act. Would you please be so kind as to acknowledge the receipt of this further email?

 

Bruce Sandison

 

----- Original Message -----

 

From: Bruce Sandison

 

To: SEERAD.Benbecula@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

 

Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 4:04 PM

 

Subject: Fw: Freedom of Information Act - Disposal of dead farm salmon

 

Would you please be so kind as to confirm that you have received my email dated 6th June and copied below?

 

Bruce Sandison

 

----- Original Message -----

 

From: Bruce Sandison

 

To: SEERAD.Benbecula@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

 

Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 9:23 AM

 

Subject: Freedom of Information Act - Disposal of dead farm salmon

 

OS Map 18, Gd Ref: 737664, Bayhead, Whiteshore Cockles

 

Will you tell me, please, what, if any, input SEERAD had into the establishment of this dump site.

 

Has SEERAD inspected the site and, if so, when?

 

Will SEERAD please comment on the extensive damage done to the dunes and machair at this disposal site.

 

Will SEERAD please say what action they propose to take to protect the ESA integrity of this site.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Bruce Sandison

 

Hysbackie, Tongue, by Lairg, Sutherland IV27 4XJ. Tel: 01847 611274

[jim doyle]

Try getting the RSPB involved Bruce, I believe they were trying to get the machair classed as a SSI . They also seem to have more political clout than we do.