Hi ,
If there were problems with radioactivity at Scotland's nuclear bomb bases, wouldn't you want to know?
We did. So, in 2019, The Ferret used freedom of information legislation to ask the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) about about issues at Faslane and Coulport bases.
A cyber attack on Sepa was blamed for them not answering our questions. In 2023, we asked again. Sepa released a few files, but said "national security concerns" meant they could not give out the full information. Another request for updated information was also rejected in 2024. Files were once again held back by Sepa.
We're not easily deterred here at The Ferret, but it was time for a different tack. A fourth FoI request was made in August last year for all the correspondence between Sepa and the Ministry of Defence about our previous three requests. This showed that the MoD had blocked Sepa from releasing information.
We then lodged appeals with the Scottish Information Commissioner, David Hamilton, asking him to investigate Sepa’s refusal to release key information.
Readers, we won! Hamilton said Sepa was wrong to keep the information secret, and releasing it to the public threatened “reputations” not national security.
So now the withheld information about radioactivity problems is due to be released. Sepa has until 28 July 2025 to comply, or appeal the ruling.
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