Guidelines from the Information Commissioner’s Office encourage public authorities, like BGS, to work with industry and, where appropriate, to main a degree of confidentiality. Otherwise, in some instances, it would make it very difficult for industry to work very closely with local/public authorities.
Wherever possible BGS makes all public information available and this is standard policy.
As an example, borehole and seismic data is made publicly available through the National GeoscienceData Centre (NGDC).
For general media enquiries for the BGS please go through the BGS press office on 07790 607010 or email bgspress@bgs.ac.uk.