Comments on: Mutual Fingerpointing

By: More Mendacity from East Anglia Revealed « Climate Audit

More Mendacity from East Anglia Revealed « Climate Audit — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:03:53 +0000

[...] also observed: Despite the efforts by the UEA to avoid showing the invoices from Muir Russell and others, I think [...]

By: Ethos Logos Pathos

Ethos Logos Pathos — Wed, 18 May 2011 17:59:26 +0000

I appreciate that you may be disappointed with this response and I understand that you may decide to refer the matter to the Scottish Information Commissioner.

-Wow, this situation is insane.

By: mpaul

mpaul — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:50:08 +0000

Thanks for the link Matthu, I’ll stand down awaiting the response to Andrew.

As I was think about this last night, its possible that an “independent donor” paid for the review. This would not be uncommon in a university setting. The donor(s) could set up a fund and the fees would get disbursed directly from the fund to MR, bypassing the university’s books.

By: matthu

matthu — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:47:36 +0000

I think you will find most of this is already awaiting a response from UEA.

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/financial_information_10#incoming-167939

By: Nick Stokes

Nick Stokes — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:39:56 +0000

Re: Mark F (May 10 17:30), What scientists have been mentioned here?

By: Mark F

Mark F — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:30:15 +0000

What’s been troubling me for some time is the opinion that you seem to share with several others, that opinion sympathizing with presumed scientists who are reluctant to show their work. Yah. Try that in industry. Or maybe with the EPA, with the toxicity measurements of your plant’s effluent. I guess in your mind, the end, whatever that is, will justify the obfuscatory means.

By: mpaul

mpaul — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:56:16 +0000

UEA had to procure the services of Muir Russell or whatever entity he choose to do business under. UEA’s procurement policies can be found here: http://www.uea.ac.uk/fin/purchasing/procpolicy

Among the policies is this:

Spending Units must consult with the Purchasing Office on any purchase (or grouping of similar purchases) where the estimated value (excluding VAT) is £20,000 or more. Such consultation is intended to agree the method of procurement, tender list, conditions of contract and criteria for appraisal of tenders.

Was this done?

And then there’s this:

The Registrar & Secretary shall maintain a register containing a declaration by members of Council and staff with authority to commit expenditure in excess of £50,000 on goods and services, of all commercial interests of themselves and close relatives in any organisation which is a supplier or potential supplier to the University.

A logical next step would be to send a FOIA to the chief procurement officer at the UEA asking for the method of procurement, the purchase order number for these services, the name of the contracting entity, their tax ID number and the name of the UEA official who approved the procurement.

I’ll work on this tonight. Un-be-leiv-able!

By: Nick Stokes

Nick Stokes — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:11:41 +0000

Re: Craig Loehle (May 10 13:15), Enforcement isn't an issue here. DH asked (FOI) to see the contract. UEA sais there isn't a written one. So they can't fulfil the request.

By: jim edwards

jim edwards — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:06:25 +0000

Actually, the verbal agreement, alone, is just as enforceable as a 100-page written and notarized contract.

There are a few agreements that, generally, must be written to be enforced, like sales of real property, sales of goods exceeding $1500, or promises to provide services that are expected to take more than a year to complete.

Not applicable, here.

By: bobdenton

bobdenton — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:44:52 +0000

“But I really think the discussion is pointless unless someone can provide evidence of what kind of entity this MR Review Group actually is.”

Its one of Muir’s trading names, he’s used a couple. Nothing to suggest otherwise.

The only real question is whether he and his group/panel hold information on behalf of UEA. I’m not aware that an FOIA/EIR request has been made to UEA specifically requesting all records held by Muir, trading under whatever name,of a type and nature that would have been made by UEA in performance of its management functions, had it not delegated the task to Muir, and are now held by Muir, as a matter of law and public policy, on behalf of UEA.

It would be best to make all parties aware that you are raising a public policy point about ownership of records in possession of “consultants” to whom performance of the management functions of a public authority is delegated, at the outset.