Article Tags: ClimateGate
A CONTROVERSIAL climate change scientist at a top university faced mounting calls for his resignation last night after it emerged he breached rules by withholding research data from critics.
Professor Phil Jones, director of University of East Anglia’s climatic research unit – funded by £13million in grants – colluded with colleagues to block freedom of information applications for details of his activities, the Deputy Information Commissioner Graham Smith found.
Emails begging other scientists to help him fight off the applications showed the requests were “not dealt with as they should have been”, Mr Smith said.
The university could have faced an unlimited fine for the breaches but escaped because of a loophole. More than six months had passed since the offences happened and there is a time limit on penalties.
As resignation calls mounted the university last night refused to back Professor Jones saying it was waiting for an independent review to be finalised. The professor has temporarily stepped aside as head of the unit pending the result of that review.
Source: express.co.uk