FOI Review Request to the Cabinet Office re COBRA activation on 17th and 18th July 2003

Given the inadequate response, FOI Response from the Cabinet Office re COBRA activation on 17th and 18th July 2003, to my FOI Request of 16th May 2011, FOI Request to the Cabinet Office re COBRA activation on 17th and 18th July 2003, I wrote to the Cabinet Office on 22nd September 2011 making a request for a formal review of the FOI Response of 20th September.

As will be evident, I was a little irritated by the inadequacy and evasion of the FOI Response of 20th September.

Dear Mr Smethurst,

As per the attachment to Mr. Keeling's email of today's date I am writing to seek internal review of the Cabinet Office response to my FOI request relating to activation of the COBRA procedure on 17th and/or 18th July 2003..

It seems to me preposterous to suggest that the Cabinet Office does not hold information as to whether or not the Cabinet Office Briefing Room procedure was used in the time period specified in my original request.

Is the Cabinet Office seriously seeking to suggest that the Police would hold that information?

I would be grateful if the Cabinet Office would give careful and rigorous attention to seeking to provide a response which is less visibly inadequate and evasive.

For convenience, I repeat below my signature the text of the original FOI request of 16th May 2011.

I hope that the Cabinet Office will be able to conduct the internal review in a less visibly tardy fashion than the timescale of the production of the FOI Response.

I look forward to an early reply containing the result of the internal review.

Thank you

(Dr) Andrew Watt

************** FOI Request of 16th May 2011 *****************************

This is a Freedom of Information request.

I understand the term "Cabinet Office Briefing Room" broadly to refer to procedures applicable to an emergency and/or crisis response by the UK Government. I ask that the following questions are interpreted using that broad definition.

1. Was a Cabinet Office Briefing Room procedure activated at any time between 14.30 on 17th July 2003 and 23.59 on 18th July 2003?

2. During the period described in question 1. was a Cabinet Office Briefing Room procedure activated with respect to the death of Dr. David Kelly?

3. Which individual was in charge of the COBRA response with respect to the disappearance and death of Dr. David Kelly?

4. Who was Platinum commander with respect to the disappearance and death of Dr. David Kelly?

5. At what time was that individual (or those individuals) referred to in questions 4. and 5. notified that Dr. David Kelly was missing?

6. At what time was that individual (or those individuals) referred to in questions 4. and 5. notified that a body had been found?

7. At any time during the period referred to in question 1 did anyone associated with a Cabinet Office Briefing Room procedure contact the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, regarding the disappearance and/or death of Dr. David Kelly?

8. At any time during the period referred to in question 1 did anyone associated with a Cabinet Office Briefing Room procedure contact the then Director of Communications and Strategy, Alastair Campbell, regarding the disappearance and/or death of Dr. David Kelly?

9. If a Cabinet Office Briefing Room was activated with respect to the disappearance and death of Dr. David Kelly, at what time did that happen and at what time was it deactivated?

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In a message dated 20/09/2011 15:30:27 GMT Daylight Time, jonathan.keeling@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk writes:
Dear Dr Watt,



I attach a reply to your FOI request.



I am sorry for the delay in responding to your request.



Regards,



Jonathan Keeling

Openness Adviser

Openness Team

Knowledge and Information Management Unit

Cabinet Office

Room 3.30, Admiralty Arch

The Mall

London SW1A 2WH



Tel: 020-7276 6334

Email: jonathan.keeling@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk