I suppose I always thought I received the examiers field notes so I am not sure what the problem would be in giving them, especially if requested.  Do you not give a written (or could be typed) report indicating search dates, known mortgages, taxes, judgments, easements, restrictions, source of title, etc.  I know my examiner sends a report that shows all that and a bit more on occassion.  I do believe it even includes the chain as they checked it in most cases. 

I find it odd that one would be so restrictive with the field notes.....it is taken from public record so unless there is something to "hide" - give em up.

It almost sounds to me like the requestor is suffering major losses and wants to know what the heck is being done on the searches to possible find out where the mistakes were made. Or, there have been lots of clerical errors.  It is so easy to transpose numbers when writing up the reports.  I have had (in the not so recent past) one or two examiners that would scratch everything on a legal pad and then transfer the info to his official reporting sheet to send to me.  On occassion there would be inverted digits - back then we always got copies of the docs so thanks to me being nosey, i mean doing my part of the job - reviewing the search notes and typing commitments back then - we caught the errors.