Madeleine McCann - Freedom of Information Request

by **Jill Havern** 10.10.15 21:14

Madeleine McCann – Freedom of Information Request

Posted on October 9, 2015 by chiptheduck

This week I received from the UK Home Office a response to a Freedom of Information Request regarding the ongoing cost to the British taxpayer of the search for Madeleine McCann, the child who went missing from Praia da Luz in the Algarve 8 years ago.
The full response is as follows:
Thank you for your letter of 18 September 2015 in which you ask a number of questions about the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann (Operation Grange). I will answer each of your six questions in turn:
1) How much UK taxpayers’ money has been spent on the failed search for Madeleine McCann?
The total cost of Operation Grange, up until end of June 2015, is £10.1m.
2) How many arrests have been made?
The Home Office does not hold this information as, whilst this department funds the investigation, the MPS is an independent organisation and so has operational responsibility for the management of the investigation.
3) What firm leads are being followed up?
As per answer 2.
4) How many police officers are still working on the case, and their ranks?
The MPS has informed me that there are currently 18 Police Officers working on the case comprising one Detective Chief Inspector, two Detective Inspectors, three Detective Sergeants and twelve Detective Constables.
5) Why is so much time and money is being spent on this one, very old, case when a child goes missing in the UK every 3 minutes.
The Government takes very seriously all cases of missing children. Although most of these cases may not be in the public eye, unresolved missing children cases are never closed and they remain the responsibility of individual police forces until the child is found. The circumstances of each case will vary and it is for individual forces to make an operational assessment on how they pursue it.
The Government believes it is right that it does all it can to support the search for Madeleine McCann. That is why the Home Secretary asked the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service to undertake a review of the case in May 2011. The Commissioner considered the request and made a decision to bring the Metropolitan Police’s particular operational expertise to the case.
The Home Office agreed to fund this work from the Special Grant budget, subject to the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police reviewing together the value and cost of the work at each stage. The level of funding provided to the Metropolitan Police will continue to be monitored to ensure expenditure from the Special Grant budget is appropriate and proportionate.
6) When is the investigation likely to be closed?
The MPS will continue to work on the case whilst there are lines of enquiry to follow.
So there you have it – 18 detectives, more than £10 million spent and, if there are any leads or have been any arrests (pigs fly) then they’re not telling us.
I think it is now time to stop focusing all this effort on one old case that Mr Cameron wanted to support. Time to get those detectives on to the crimes that are happening now.
Madeleine McCann - Freedom of Information Request Circus

Madeleine McCann - Freedom of Information Request Circus

I know that there are varying opinions about the McCanns’ behaviour at the time of the disappearance and subsequently.
I declare that I find much of their conduct after the event to be totally inappropriate – it’s not surprising that a sign next to the main junction in Luz was defaced.
It is difficult to reconcile grieving parents with legal actions against a policeman for €1 million damages, a visit to the Pope, appearance on an American TV chat show…
That’s my opinion, but what do you think? Should we draw the line under this investigation now? Am I just a grumpy old man or do you share my view?

https://chiptheduck.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/madeleine-mccann-freedom-of-information-request/#comments

by kaz 11.10.15 18:40

I think it's time to ask why a top team of detectives are unable or unwilling to
question the right people with the right questions. If indeed they are unwilling or unable they should let us know and let it go. Eight years on, literally millions of taxpayers' money and still no nearer the truth. The Met are a laughing stock . The best thing they can do is leave it to the amateur sleuths who at least have a will to find the truth and then somewhere down the years resurrect it as a 'cold case. ' I'm sure the dedicated lay researchers would offer help with any information they have found in the meantime.

by Doug D 10.01.16 10:57

From the Met’s FOI disclosure list 27^th December 2015. Again we don’t know who asked the questions, not that any informative ones were answered.

Seems strange to reply to the ones that were answered with the date roughly a week before the scaling down was announced, but that may be to do with the date of the original request

Freedom of Information Request Reference No:

I note you seek access to the following information:
1. General Op Grange FOI:
a) What are the staffing numbers for Operation Grange to date, broken down to police and civilians?
b) What is the total cost of Operation Grange to date?
c) Where is the MIT 5 team based?

2. DNA for Operation Grange FOI:
a) What is the total number of DNA tests carried out by Operation Grange to date?
b) What is the total cost of carrying out these DNA tests as part of the operation to date?
c) Why have these tests been carried out by Operation Grange?
d) How are these tests carried out by Operation Grange?
e) Who have the DNA tests been carried out on?
f) Please include names (if possible) and/or ages of girls tested, the location of each test and the date of each test?
g) Could you also provide details how many DNA tests were carried out by Operation Grange on living children and how many on human remains?
h) Were DNA samples matching Madeleine McCann used to compare against other cases in a bid to find her?
i) If so, what DNA belonging to Madeleine McCann was used in this process?

DECISION

Before I explain the reasons for the decisions I have made in relation to your request, I thought that it would be helpful if I outline the parameters set out by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) within which a request for information can be answered.
The right of access to information is not without exception and is subject to a number of exemptions which are designed to enable public authorities to withhold information that is not suitable for release. Importantly, the Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then considered public information and must be communicated to any individual should a request be received.

I have today decided to:

Disclose records numbered 1a, b, & c in full;

Fully exempt records number 2a, b, c, d, e, & f pursuant to the provisions of Section 27(1) International Relations, Section 30(1) Investigations and Proceedings Conducted by Public Authorities & Section 40(2) Personal Information of the Act;

Neither confirm nor deny that the MPS hold any information in relation to records numbered 2g, h, & i by virtue of the following exemptions:Section 27 (4) International Relations, Section 30(3) Investigations and Proceedings Conducted by Public Authorities & Section 40(5) Personal Information

Please find below your copies of records for question 1a, b & c:

1a) What are the staffing numbers for Operation Grange to date, broken down to police and civilians?
As of 16th October 2015: 18 Police Officers, 11 Civil Staff

1b) What is the total cost of Operation Grange to date?
As of 16th October 2015: £10.4m

1c) Where is the MIT 5 team based?
Belgravia

Information Rights Unit

by plebgate 10.01.16 11:10

Well done to all those who are sending in FOI requests, but unfortunately they are all being met with the same replies.

Another government unit set up to keep us all informed about NOTHING.