Secret Stansted runway data ‘must be made public’
23.06.08
Secret Government data on the contentious plans to build a second runway at Stansted must be made public, a report by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), the privacy watchdog, says. It says that the data must be released because of the public interest in the future of air transport and the impact it could have on lives, the economy and the environment.
The ruling follows a freedom of information request for documents relating to the Government's 2003 white paper on air transport. It could offer environmental campaigners useful ammunition against the much criticised airport expansion. The Department for Transport, which is heavily criticised in the report, argued that future policymaking would be prejudiced by disclosure. The judgment did allow the DfT to withhold confidential legal advice.
The initial request was made 3 years ago and the ICO says if the information had been made available at the time, more informed debate could have taken place about a possible second runway. The second runway proposal, which BAA has said could allow Stansted to match Heathrow’s existing capacity, has met fierce opposition from environmental campaigners.
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