Minutes of the National Highways Investment Committee
Dear National Highways Limited,
I would like to make this request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. I would like to see the minutes of the National Highways Investment Committee for the last two years.
It is in the public interest that these documents are in the public domain, and that there is transparency in National Highways decision making, especially about investment decisions in major capital projects, paid for with public money. Transparency is also required by National Highway's Licence at 7.7.
Yours faithfully,
Rebecca Lush
Dear Rebecca Lush,
Thank you for your request relating to Minutes of the National Highways Investment Committee received on 3 April 2024.
The due date for issuing a response is 1 May 2024.
Please feel free to contact our team if you have any queries, quoting [FOI/10089] in any future communications.
Kind regards
FOI Advice
Web: http://www.nationalhighways.co.uk/
You can make new FOI requests and review published responses by visiting https://foiform.highwaysengland.co.uk/
Dear Rebecca Lush
Minutes of the National Highways Investment Committee
I am writing to advise you that the time-limit for responding to your
request for information which we received on 3 April 2024 needs to be
extended.
In the case of your request, I must extend the time limit by approximately
20 working days because the information requested must be considered under
one or more of the exemptions to which the public interest test applies.
This extra time is needed in order to make a determination as to the
public interest.
The specific exemption which applies in relation to your request is
Section 36.
I hope to let you have a response by 31 May 2024.
Please remember to quote reference number FOI/10089 in any future
communications about this response.
Kind regards
Amanda Speight
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services
National Highways | 2 City Walk | Leeds | LS11 9AR
Web: [1]www.nationalhighways.co.uk
You can make new FOI requests and review published responses by visiting
[2]https://foiform.highwaysengland.co.uk/
This email may contain information which is confidential and is intended
only for use of the recipient/s named above. If you are not an intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any copying, distribution,
disclosure, reliance upon or other use of the contents of this email is
strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and destroy it.
National Highways Limited | General enquiries: 0300 123 5000 |National
Traffic Operations Centre, 3 Ridgeway, Quinton Business Park, Birmingham
B32 1AF | [3]https://nationalhighways.co.uk |
[4][email address]
Registered in England and Wales no 9346363 | Registered Office: Bridge
House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4LZ
Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really
need to.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.nationalhighways.co.uk/
2. https://foiform.highwaysengland.co.uk/
3. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/
4. file:///tmp/[email address]
Dear Rebecca Lush
Thank you for your information request dated 3 April 2024 regarding
Minutes of the National Highways Investment Committee. We have dealt with
your request under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
You asked -
I would like to make this request under the Environmental Information
Regulations 2004. I would like to see the minutes of the National Highways
Investment Committee for the last two years.
It is in the public interest that these documents are in the public
domain, and that there is transparency in National Highways decision
making, especially about investment decisions in major capital projects,
paid for with public money. Transparency is also required by National
Highway's Licence at 7.7.
I can confirm that we hold the information you have requested.
Information withheld
This information has been withheld under the exemptions in [1]Section 36 -
prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs and [2]Section 43 -
commercial interests of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
In applying these exemptions, we have had to balance the public interest
in withholding the information against the public interest in disclosure.
The key public interest factors for and against disclosure are attached.
Additionally, before applying the exemption in Section 36 of the Act,
National Highways sought the opinion of the Secretary of State for the
Department for Transport Mark Harper as a ‘qualified person’. Mark Harper
confirmed that, in his reasonable opinion, the disclosure of these
minutes is likely to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs;
and that Section 36(2)(b)(i)&(ii) and Section 36(2)(c) of the Act was
therefore engaged.
If you are not satisfied with your response you may ask for an internal
review within 40 working days of receiving the response, by replying to
this email. You can learn more about the internal review process [3]here.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted [4]here or via the
address below -
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Please remember to quote reference number FOI/10089 in any future
communications about this response.
Kind regards
Amanda Speight
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services
National Highways | 2 City Walk | Leeds | LS11 9AR
Web: [5]www.nationalhighways.co.uk
This email may contain information which is confidential and is intended
only for use of the recipient/s named above. If you are not an intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any copying, distribution,
disclosure, reliance upon or other use of the contents of this email is
strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and destroy it.
National Highways Limited | General enquiries: 0300 123 5000 |National
Traffic Operations Centre, 3 Ridgeway, Quinton Business Park, Birmingham
B32 1AF | [6]https://nationalhighways.co.uk |
[7][email address]
Registered in England and Wales no 9346363 | Registered Office: Bridge
House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4LZ
Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really
need to.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/200...
2. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/200...
3. https://highwaysengland.co.uk/media/a14h...
4. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
5. http://www.nationalhighways.co.uk/
6. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/
7. http://[email address]/
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