Natural England

The complainant has requested from Natural England information relating to the different culling methods used, either free shooting or cage trapping, in the pilot badger culls. Natural England advised that the only relevant information it holds are the estimated costs supplied by the licensed control companies, which it considered to be excepted information under regulations 12(5)(d) (confidentiality of proceedings) and 12(5)(e) (confidentiality of commercial or industrial information) of the EIR. The Commissioner has found that regulation 12(5)(d) of the EIR is engaged and that, in all the circumstances, the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosure. He does not therefore require Natural England to take any steps.