Staff Comisiynydd Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol

16 June 2022

Dear

ATISN 16391

Information requested

Thank you for your request which I received on 13 June 2022.  You asked for:

Please can you provide the following information:

1. How many trips using an airplane has the Head of Future Generations, Sophie Howe, made since 2015 as part of her work for Welsh Government?
2. How many trips using an airplane has Sophie Howe made as part of her work for Welsh Government between March 2020 to June 2022?
3. How many trips have the Future Generations staff made as part of their work for Welsh Government since 2015?
4. How much carbon have the Future Generation team used as part of their work for Welsh Government since 2015?
5. What was the longest air flight made by Sophie Howe for work purposes as part of her work for Welsh Government please provide dates and locations of travel and the carbon tonnage cost of the flight?
6. What was the longest air flight made by any one member of the Future Generations team since 2015 as part of their work for Welsh Government – please provide dates and locations and carbon tonnage of the trip
7. How much carbon has Sophie Howe used making these trips as part of her work for Welsh Government (recorded annually since 2015)?
8. How much carbon has been used by the Future Generations team made using air flights used  as part of their work for Welsh Government (collectively) across each year since 2015?
9. How did all Welsh Gov representatives travel to COP 26 and what was the carbon usage of the trip?
10. What measures are considered to ascertain value when making air flight trips?
11. Please confirm that Welsh Government/public money has paid for Sophie Howe and the Future Generations team to travel globally using Air travel used  as part of their work for Welsh Government?
12. Since 2015 please indicate the shortest journey undertaken by air on behalf of Welsh Government by Sophie Howe, and any member of the Future Generations team, where was it to and from and what was the purpose of the trip?
13. Please confirm if Welsh Government intend to plant trees in upland areas where bog marshes and peatlands exist?
14. Please confirm the net value of the timber business to Welsh Government of the Forestry activities on their land (including Natural Resources Wales plantations)
15. Please confirm if Welsh Government and the Future Generations team believe that travel by airplane is sustainable and by what measure is the statement made.

Our response

Questions 1-8 and questions 11 and 12 are for information regarding the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales which is not held by Welsh Government. The information you requested may be held by the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. The Commission is listed under section 1 of the FOIA and so you may make an FOI request to them directly at:

Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Tramshed Tech
Pendyris Street
Cardiff CF11 6BH

contactus@futuregenerations.wales

Their website is at:

The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – Acting today for a better tommorrow

On your other questions:

9. How did all Welsh Gov representatives travel to COP 26 and what was the carbon usage of the trip? –

Travel was by train for all representatives. This was chosen as the lowest carbon form of public transport. Nevertheless total or individual carbon usage for the trip was not calculated and so the information is not held by Welsh Government.

10. What measures are considered to ascertain value when making air flight trips?

The Freedom of Information Act gives a right to access recorded information, but does not require that new information be created where no recorded information exists. There is no corporate process or guidance that addresses this question nor one that lists measures, so this information is not held by Welsh Government.

13. Please confirm if Welsh Government intend to plant trees in upland areas where bog marshes and peatlands exist?

Peatlands support a variety of habitats and species and play an important role in capturing and storing carbon. Because of this we do not allow woodland creation on areas of deep peat.

14. Please confirm the net value of the timber business to Welsh Government of the Forestry activities on their land (including Natural Resources Wales plantations)

This information is not held by Welsh Government. Welsh Government does not provide delivery of forestry services, and any planting of public forestry in Wales would be a matter for Natural Resources Wales. You may ask them under FOI at:

accesstoinformationteam@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Their website is:

https://naturalresources.wales/

15. Please confirm if Welsh Government and the Future Generations team believe that travel by airplane is sustainable and by what measure is the statement made

Welsh Government does not hold recorded information that answers this request.

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response.  Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at:

Information Rights Unit, 
Welsh Government,
Cathays Park, 
Cardiff, 
CF10 3NQ 

or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.   

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:  Information Commissioner’s Office,

Wycliffe House, 
Water Lane, 
Wilmslow, 
Cheshire, 
SK9 5AF.

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely