Defra doesn’t have a clue about who the Secretary of State has met recently. That’s the most charitable interpretation of their behaviour.
In March this year (Defra have the date wrong in their response) I asked Defra the following questions:
What meetings has Michael Gove had with Ian Coghill (GWCT) and/or The Ninth Marquess of Downshire (aka Nicholas Hill and aka Nick Downshire) and/or Amanda Anderson (Moorland Association) and/or Teresa Dent (GWCT) since becoming Sec of State for Defra.
At any such meeting did Mr Gove say that he was intent on protecting grouse shooting’s vulnerable flank – or words to that effect, or sentiments to that effect? And what did he mean by these words?
I was told that Michael Gove had had no such meetings. I didn’t believe this and so I asked them to check. Defra then came back to me and said they had found one meeting – with Teresa Dent.
When Guy Shrubsole found out about the roundtable meeting, quite an important meeting, which Michael Gove had had with grouse shooting interests it was pretty clear that both Amanda Anderson and Nick Downshire had been present. So I asked Defra whether they were really, really, really sure that Mr Gove hadn’t met Nick Hill and Amanda.
They responded to me last week admitting that the Secretary of State had met some of these people at the meeting with grouse shooting interests. They were kind enough to send me the minutes of the meeting (as here) even though I had sent that to them in my request (to save them time!).
It took Defra 6 months, and three attempts, to anser my enquiry accurately (assuming that there are no more meetings which they haven’t disclosed).
This was a perfectly reasonable question which I asked, and not technically very difficult. Yes, I’ll be complaining to the Information Commissioner about Defra’s failure to have appropriate systems in place.
I happen to think Defra’s response to you is quite reasonable and thorough.