Pollution clean up of the South Esk river : EIR Review

FOI reference: FOI/18/03378 Review
Date received: 7 December 2018
Date responded: 10 January 2019

Information requested

All communications and correspondence the office of the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform has sent or received over the past six months in regards to pollution and/or the clean up of pollution in the South Esk River and/or the Mary Burn, a tributary of the South Esk River by Newbattle in Midlothian

Within your request for a review you further highlighted that:

Roseanna Cunningham has answered questions in parliament. She indicated she was aware of the issue and seemed to have been updated on the progress of the cleanup as she stated in the parliament chamber on 25th October that the cleanup was nearing completion.

Response

As part of my review I have considered your original request and the parliamentary question that you highlighted in your request for a review.  I have concluded that the original decision should be confirmed, with modifications.

The original response focused on correspondence to the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land reform.  In undertaking the review I have searched for correspondence and also for briefing provided to the Cabinet Secretary.  I am satisfied that the only piece of external correspondence received is the document which was released to you in the original response. The Cabinet Secretary has not received any other external correspondence.  With regards to briefing my search has found one piece of advice which was provided to the Cabinet Secretary on 23 October as background to the parliamentary question asked by Colin Beattie.  I include this at Annex B.  

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