Archived press release

Government's broken promises on Right to Know revealed

4 December 1996

Five years after John Major promised to give "every individual...access to the information they need to act as an environmental watchdog" [1], Friends of the Earth today revealed 33 instances of Government secrecy detailed in an unpublished Department of the Environment report [2].

The House of Lords also slammed the Government today when they said that "much important environmental information remains hidden from the public, for no good reason" and published their report on Freedom of Access to Information on the Environment [3].

Examples of secrets that have been withheld include:

. details of potentially health threatening drinking water incidents reported to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (part of the Department of the Environment) by the water companies [4].
. data on discharges of 'dangerous substances' to sewer because of "commercial confidentiality"[5]
. scientific data relating to the proposed NIREX nuclear waste dump

Mike Childs, Senior Campaigner, at Friends of the Earth, said:

" John Major's fine words reveal themselves to be little more than rhetoric as his Government refuses requests for information time and time again. The House of Lords damning report must lead to action rather than more hollow words from the Prime Minister."

Other examples of Government secrecy include;

. National Power was refused information about a legal derogation granted to another company burning refuse-derived fuel
. Waste company Leigh Environmental Ltd were refused copies of Government correspondence with the EC on alleged infractions of EC waste directives concerning Leigh Interests Group Site

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] John Major said in a Sunday Times Conference in 1991 " Every individual, every group,will in future have access to the information they need in order to act as an environmental watchdog. That information is the citizen's right, and the Active Citizen will use that right constructively. "

[2] The Department of the Environment itself has refused to supply information in 33 cases(to 18 October 1996). A copy of the unpublished report is available by calling 020 7490 0237, 020 7566 1687 or 020 7566 1688

[3] House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities, 1st Report, Session 1996-97, Freedom of Access to Information on the Environment, HL Paper 9, HMSO.Chairman Baroness Hilton of Eggardon said in the accompanying press notice that "...disappointingly much important environmental information remains hidden from the public,for no good reason."

[4] Water companies are under a legal obligation to report to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (part of the Department of the Environment) "incidents that have given rise to,or were likely to give rise to, a significant risk to the health of water consumers in England& Wales" [paragraph 5 of the Water Undertakers (Information) Direction 1992.] Friends of the Earth were refused a request for copies of the reports or "one as an example" in March 1996.

[5] Much of the waste produced by industry is discharged to sewers, including some of the most toxic wastes (legally defined as 'dangerous substances'). The Water Companies police these dischargers as well as charging for them.

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