Cancer cluster case goes to the Lords
The longest-running battle since the introduction of Freedom of Information legislation is being taken all the way to the House of Lords, as the NHS in Scotland continues to resist releasing local statistics on childhood leukaemia.
The decision by the Common Services Agency of the NHS in the wake of defeat in the Court of Session to continue spending public money to fight the issue all the way to the Lords has outraged Green MSPs, who first asked for the local breakdown of figures in Dumfries and Galloway in 2004.
The Greens wanted the breakdown of childhood leukaemia incidence down to council ward level in order to compare this with anecdotal claims about clusters around Chapelcross nuclear power station.
The MSPs' researcher, Michael Collie, lodged the first appeal under the new FoI legislation within days of it coming into force in January 2005. The Scottish Information Commissioner, Kevin Dunion, accepted his case and in August 2005 ordered the agency to release the statistics. Two months later CSA appealed this ruling to the Court of Session. Judges backed Mr Dunion.
Robin Harper said: "It is unacceptable that the CSA should continue to drag out this process and waste taxpayers' money trying to prevent a matter of public interest being placed in the public domain.
"I would urge Scottish Executive ministers to intervene on their civil servants to abide by the court ruling and release this information."
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Posted by: megz, glasgow on 10:49pm Sun 27 May 07
the scottish parliament should force the matter to reveal the effects of the nuclear power plants, it would surely give the anti-nuclear support another argument against building more stations.
the scottish parliament should force the matter to reveal the effects of the nuclear power plants, it would surely give the anti-nuclear support another argument against building more stations.
Posted by: Peter Cherbi, Edinburgh on 1:53am Mon 28 May 07
#megz, glasgow
I completely agree with you.
This case comes from the continual habit of the last two Executives, and Scottish Office Ministers before them to cover up issues to the nth degree, or resist disclosure to the bitter end, no matter the cost.
Robin Harper is correct, Scottish Executive Ministers should intervene in this case and see the information is released - all of it please, no little bits left out as has been the case in some recent FOI disclosures which the Commissioner & applicants have also had to fight tooth & nail to get released through the courts.
I hope Alex Salmond's Executive will banish this crooked culture of cover up and resisting disclosure just to protect industries, professions, or public bodies with things to hide. It is high time we had a bit more transparency in Scotland - please deliver it !
#megz, glasgow
I completely agree with you.
This case comes from the continual habit of the last two Executives, and Scottish Office Ministers before them to cover up issues to the nth degree, or resist disclosure to the bitter end, no matter the cost.
Robin Harper is correct, Scottish Executive Ministers should intervene in this case and see the information is released - all of it please, no little bits left out as has been the case in some recent FOI disclosures which the Commissioner & applicants have also had to fight tooth & nail to get released through the courts.
I hope Alex Salmond's Executive will banish this crooked culture of cover up and resisting disclosure just to protect industries, professions, or public bodies with things to hide. It is high time we had a bit more transparency in Scotland - please deliver it !
Posted by: megz, glasgow on 9:57am Mon 28 May 07
After all if they have nothing to hide then why are they stalling?
After all if they have nothing to hide then why are they stalling?
Posted by: ann wills on 11:11am Mon 28 May 07
I was appalled that the NHS is trying to stop the local rates of child leukaemia from being released. Such information could help prevent local children getting leukaemia in the future.
For instance, is nuclear radiation being released from a local nuclear power station? Are local fields sprayed with toxic chemicals or is a local incinerator giving off dioxin chemicals, which are proven to cause cancer? All these are proven to cause leukaemia. Is there a mobile phone tower giving off high levels of microwaves? We cannot prevent leukaemia & other cancers unless we are open about the number of cases & look for the possible causes.
I was appalled that the NHS is trying to stop the local rates of child leukaemia from being released. Such information could help prevent local children getting leukaemia in the future.
For instance, is nuclear radiation being released from a local nuclear power station? Are local fields sprayed with toxic chemicals or is a local incinerator giving off dioxin chemicals, which are proven to cause cancer? All these are proven to cause leukaemia. Is there a mobile phone tower giving off high levels of microwaves? We cannot prevent leukaemia & other cancers unless we are open about the number of cases & look for the possible causes.
Posted by: Alex McG, Portugal & Glasgow on 4:35pm Mon 28 May 07
Excuse me! The Lib Lab coalition has be preventing the release of this information for some considerable time now. Whereas, the New SNP Government have not yet completed their first two weeks in office. With a completely new set of people and many problems to resolve let’s give them a chance to settle into office.
I expect the SNP will happily release this and as much other information as possible to the public. It is part of their belief in open government and it may expose the worms in the previous administration.
Excuse me! The Lib Lab coalition has be preventing the release of this information for some considerable time now. Whereas, the New SNP Government have not yet completed their first two weeks in office. With a completely new set of people and many problems to resolve let’s give them a chance to settle into office.
I expect the SNP will happily release this and as much other information as possible to the public. It is part of their belief in open government and it may expose the worms in the previous administration.
Posted by: Peter Cherbi, Edinburgh on 8:14pm Mon 28 May 07
I hope they release full details of how much of the taxpayers money has gone on this obstruction of FOI too ... rather than someone having to do another FOI to find that one out.
I hope they release full details of how much of the taxpayers money has gone on this obstruction of FOI too ... rather than someone having to do another FOI to find that one out.
Posted by: BM, Glasgow on 9:41pm Mon 28 May 07
Why not instantly dismiss these bureaucrats who are defying the law and committing fraud by using money allocated to healthcare to promoting illegal secrecy?
Why not instantly dismiss these bureaucrats who are defying the law and committing fraud by using money allocated to healthcare to promoting illegal secrecy?
Posted by: donald anderson, glasgow on 8:47am Tue 29 May 07
Maybe Labour should up the fees for House membership.
Maybe Labour should up the fees for House membership.
Posted by: J BROWN, Somerset on 1:08pm Tue 29 May 07
Hinkley Point nuclear power plant has caused huge increases in leukaemia, breast cancer, endocrine disruption, prostate cancer, problems in pregnancy and childbirth for the past 40 years throughout Somerset. All scientific and epidemiological studies are ignored by the health authorities, denied by Heathcoat-Amory MP and Liddell-Grainger MP. Everyone connected with the nuclear industry lies about everything to everyone all the time; so-called consultation is a sham. At least the NHS could recognise that it is subsidising nuclear power by the huge costs of treating victims, who usually die anyway, especially the children.
Hinkley Point nuclear power plant has caused huge increases in leukaemia, breast cancer, endocrine disruption, prostate cancer, problems in pregnancy and childbirth for the past 40 years throughout Somerset. All scientific and epidemiological studies are ignored by the health authorities, denied by Heathcoat-Amory MP and Liddell-Grainger MP. Everyone connected with the nuclear industry lies about everything to everyone all the time; so-called consultation is a sham. At least the NHS could recognise that it is subsidising nuclear power by the huge costs of treating victims, who usually die anyway, especially the children.
Posted by: Arthur Jarrett, N. Fife on 7:23pm Tue 29 May 07
The Low Level Radiation Campaign www.llrc.org clearly identify this establishment strategy of concealment of small area cancer statistics. Through determination LLRC/Green Audit overcame it to show the Sellafield cancer clusters, affecting Wales, Ireland and tidal areas a considerable distance from the nuclear discharge site.
Dr Chris Busby's detailed book 'Wolves of Water' bares the deceits and false premises of the nuclear and cancer 'experts' which are used to allow this toxic technology to continue..
The Low Level Radiation Campaign www.llrc.org clearly identify this establishment strategy of concealment of small area cancer statistics. Through determination LLRC/Green Audit overcame it to show the Sellafield cancer clusters, affecting Wales, Ireland and tidal areas a considerable distance from the nuclear discharge site.
Dr Chris Busby's detailed book 'Wolves of Water' bares the deceits and false premises of the nuclear and cancer 'experts' which are used to allow this toxic technology to continue..
Posted by: john steward, Cardiff on 3:09pm Mon 30 Jul 07
This article and the associated letters miss two points.
1. publishing the raw data (without some form of protection) will put patient privacy at risk - the Scotish IC says thsi on website
2. it presumes that Green rsearchers would be able to so something useful with these data - the track record is not good
The real waste of research is requests such as this
This article and the associated letters miss two points.
1. publishing the raw data (without some form of protection) will put patient privacy at risk - the Scotish IC says thsi on website
2. it presumes that Green rsearchers would be able to so something useful with these data - the track record is not good
The real waste of research is requests such as this
Posted by: miles bailey, england on 2:30pm Tue 11 Sep 07
i totaly agree that they should do something about the people who have lukimea
i totaly agree that they should do something about the people who have lukimea
Posted by: chloe bruce, galloway on 2:30am Sat 5 Jan 08
Researchers would follow normal ethics of maintaining individual anonymity.
People should be allowed to see trends within graphical areas. The government recommends research, but has double standards dealing with businesses who they may profit from.
Researchers would follow normal ethics of maintaining individual anonymity.
People should be allowed to see trends within graphical areas. The government recommends research, but has double standards dealing with businesses who they may profit from.
Posted by: chloe bruce, galloway on 2:44am Sat 5 Jan 08
Researchers would follow normal ethics of maintaining individual anonymity.
People should be allowed to see trends within graphical areas. The government recommends research, but has double standards dealing with businesses who they may profit from.
Researchers would follow normal ethics of maintaining individual anonymity.
People should be allowed to see trends within graphical areas. The government recommends research, but has double standards dealing with businesses who they may profit from.
Posted by: Judge Deed, London on 5:38pm Mon 5 May 08
Chris Busby "bares the deceits..". That is rich! For a more honest assessment of Busby's work, see
http://chrisbusbyexp
osed.spaces.live.com
Try not to swallow everything written by these junk scientists so uncritically.
Chris Busby "bares the deceits..". That is rich! For a more honest assessment of Busby's work, see
http://chrisbusbyexp
osed.spaces.live.com
Try not to swallow everything written by these junk scientists so uncritically.
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