MV Derbyshire

Dear Sir or Madam,

I have been informed that a presentation on the 2000 MV Derbyshire
RFI is to be hosted by the DfT in early November this year.

I would therefore be grateful if you could answer the following
questions:

1. Who are the participants in that event? I understand that the
invitations have been made by the Derbyshire Family Association
(aka Mr Paul Lambert) and that you have the list of invitees. Could
you please provide me with a copy of that list?

2. Has John Prescott MP been invited, and who will pay the costs of
his attendance?

3. What is total cost of organising and hosting the event,
preparing the presentation material, the travelling charges and
other expenses that will be covered by the Department and,
therefore, by the taxpayer?

4. What is the precise date of that event?

5. Who/what initiated the event and when?

6. What is the agenda for the event and what materials will be
presented there?

As the Department knows very well, the MV Derbyshire RFI left much
to be desired and its outcome was not quite as straightforward as
one might like to think.
Do you intend to offer any revelations during this November
seminar?

A prompt response from you to my questions above will be very much
appreciated.

Many thanks and best regards,

Yours faithfully,

Daniela Drysdale

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would be grateful if the Department acknowledged receipt of my
FOI request above?

Yours sincerely,

Daniela Drysdale

Dear Sir/ Madam,

Thank you very much for your reply of 30 October 2008 above.

In this reply, the Department informs me that " invitations have
been extended only to individuals – or individuals representing
organisations – that were closely involved in the reopened formal
investigation (RFI) into Derbyshire’s loss," then states that the
list of participants "is subject to the exemption at section 40 of
the Freedom of Information Act. The information is personal
information within the meaning of the Data Protection Act and its
disclosure would amount to a breach of the data protection
principles."

I would, nonetheless, like to remind the Department that the
identities of the individuals and/or organisations who were
"closely involved in the reopened formal investigation (RFI) into
Derbyshire’s loss" - and whom the Department names as participants
in the November presentation - do not need protecting for the
simple reason that this information has already been made public
within the official report to the Derbyshire RFI (now sold to the
public by WH Smith stationers at a price of £40.00).
I would therefore be grateful if the Department could just advise
which of those parties (as listed in the Derbyshire final report)
would be attending the presentation.

As to my question about the materials that will be presented during
this event, the Department indicates that they will refer to the
"contributions of the MV Derbyshire Family Association (DFA) to
inquiries into Derbyshire’s loss and subsequent work on bulk
carrier safety".
I would be much obliged if the department could also provide us
with a copy of these presentation materials.
As I am sure everyone will agree, bulk carrier safety is not a
private matter, but a matter of public interest.

A prompt reply will be very much appreciated.

Many thanks and kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Daniela Drysdale