Criminal investigation over Heathrow expansion ‘cover up’
07.02.10
The Department for Transport (DfT) is facing a criminal investigation following a complaint that it deleted sensitive internal emails about the expansion of Heathrow Airport, the Times reports. The DfT is reportedly accused of deleting emails to and from airport operator BAA between September and November 2007 as the government prepared to back its controversial plans for a third runway.
The newspaper reports that the investigation unit of the Information Commissioner’s Office has asked to interview civil servants at the DfT about the apparent destruction of evidence. The emails were requested under freedom of information laws by Justine Greening, a Conservative frontbencher and MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields, who has led the campaign against the £9 billion expansion.
Ms Greening asked for an investigation after spotting gaps in email conversations between transport officials and BAA. One email sent between the DfT and BAA on November 1, 2007 referred to potentially damaging information and asked: ‘Can we play down?’ The reply is among those emails that have apparently gone missing.
To book heathrow airport hotel or heathrow airport car park at the lowest price, click on these links to two great heathrow airport car parking and heathrow airport hotel price comparison page
