date: Mon Sep  7 15:33:44 2009
from: Phil Jones <p.jones@uea.ac.uk>
subject: Re: Data Loss- a couple of questions
to: Daniel Youmans <dan.theproject@googlemail.com>

    Dan,
      One other thing. 99.5% of the data is not relevant to the UK as it relates to the
    rest of the world. Odd that UK FOI Act encompasses non-UK relevant data. Also
    many of the requests through the act have come from non-UK people. This is
    also allowed under the Act. Anybody, anywhere can ask for data from any UK
    public body and it doesn't have to be about data that has any relevance to the UK.
     I can digitize some data for Mongolia, then someone can ask me for it if they have
    some suspicion that I might have it!
    Cheers
    Phil
   At 01:48 07/09/2009, you wrote:

     Hello Phil,
     Firstly, thank you very much for that last, extremely comprehensive, email. Since then,
     I've put a bit more research into the kind of people writing about the CRU in this way;
     it didn't take much digging to show the level of skepticism/cynicism present in some of
     these commentators.
     Would it be possible for you to answer a few more questions, even if only briefly?
     For the non-climate scientists out there (which includes me) could you maybe say a
     little about the relative utility of the data you cannot release (for whatever reason),
     provided with what you can. I mean, does the 'gridded' data permit further study/peer
     review? Are the processes you use to come to this releasable data industry-standard?
     Also, do you know the number of FOI/EIR requests the centre or University receives, and
     how many of these are successful?
     Lastly, do you have an ontological view on the state of play re this data. Obviously the
     FOI Act excepted a lot of the data you hold- which is explained in responses to
     requests. Do you think this is acceptable? Is there necessarily a trade-off between
     access to data for the good of the scientific method and the huge costs incurred in
     amassing this data?
     Once again, many thanks for the time you've put into replying to me- we go to press in a
     week, so I hope these should be the finishing touches to our story!
     Best,
     Dan
     Dan Youmans
     News Editor (UEA)
     The Project
     e: [1]danielyoumans@theprojectonline.org
     w: [2]http://theprojectonline.org

   Prof. Phil Jones
   Climatic Research Unit        Telephone +44 (0) 1603 592090
   School of Environmental Sciences    Fax +44 (0) 1603 507784
   University of East Anglia
   Norwich                          Email    p.jones@uea.ac.uk
   NR4 7TJ
   UK
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