§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests for environmental information under the Access to Environmental Information Regulations 1992 have been received by his Department; how many were answered within two months; how many were refused; and on what grounds in each case.
§ Mr. Tim SmithThe Environmental Information Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 came into effect on 31 March 1993. Between April and December 1993 a total of254W 1,221 requests were received by central Government Departments. All were replied to within two months. Six were refused, five on the ground that the information was unavailable and one because it was not defined as within the regulations. Figures for the first half of 1994 are not yet available.