Dear Infrastructure and Projects Authority,

Please send me the latest assurance review for the A66 Northern Trans Pennine.

It is in the public interest that there is transparency in decision making for schemes in the Government Major Projects Portfolio. There is not enough detail in the IPA's annual report to assess the deliverability and value for money (to the taxpayer) of this scheme.

I am making this request under the Environmental Information Regulations, not the FOI Act.

Yours faithfully,

Rebecca Lush

Dear Infrastructure and Projects Authority / Cabinet Office

My request asked that it be treated under the EIRs, not the FOIA. The Information Commissioner's Office has already ruled that requests of this kind (for independent assurance reviews) should be handled under the EIR regime, not FOIA.

Please can you confirm that my request will be handled under the EIRs, due to the significant environmental impacts of the A66 Northern Trans Pennine scheme.

Yours faithfully,

Rebecca Lush

Dear Infrastructure and Projects Authority / Cabinet Office

Re: ICO Decision Notice reference: IC-235971-D4C0

On the 20 February 2024, the ICO ruled that the appropriate legislation for a similar request was the EIRs, not the FOIA. The ICO also ordered the Cabinet Office to disclose the information requested (the assurance reviews for another project).

The ICO Decision Notice can be viewed here: https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-tak...

Yours faithfully,

Rebecca Lush

Dear Cabinet Office,

Thank you for your letter informing me of your intention to extend the time needed to reply beyond the statutory 20 day limit.

Your letter said that you were responding under the provisions of the FOI Act. May I remind you that this request has been made under the Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs), and that the ICO has ruled a similar request must be treated under the EIRs. The Cabinet Office have acknowledged in the Grounds of Appeal that the EIRs are the correct regime in their appeal of that decision to the First Tier Tribunal.

Please treat my request under the EIRs, not the FOI Act. I have previously written to you about this important matter of which regime to use, but have not received acknowledgement. Kindly acknowledge this email, and confirm you are treating my request under the EIRs, not the FOI Act.

Yours faithfully,

Rebecca Lush