Update on Complaint to the Information Commissioner

We have received a response to our request for internal review of the refusal of our freedom of information requests.  I was not expecting anything other than this and requesting this internal review was just a formality that was required before the Information Commissioner could take forward our complaint.


Dear Mr McNally

The DCSF have upheld their original decision about my FOI requests on internal review.  I am forwarding the email I received from them as I believe this is what is necessary to reopen my complaint about the handling of my requests DCSF reference numbers: 2009/0067849; 2009/0074942; 2009/0074943; 2009/0090673; and 2009/0090678 .

I am still a little confused about the numbers and hope I have sent this to the correct person.  Apologies if I have not and please could you forward it to the correct person or let me know where it should go.

Please could you also confirm that you will be able to take account of the letter you received about this matter from Ciaran McHale.

Please can you also confirm that the case will be reopened and that this request has reached the right person.

Thank you

Maire Stafford

From: Ian.ADKIN@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk [mailto:Ian.ADKIN@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk]
Sent: 10 March 2010 15:59
To: maireandbruce@ntlworld.com
Subject: OUTCOME OF INTERNAL REVIEW: MS M STAFFORD

Dear Ms Stafford,

DCSF reference numbers: 2009/0067849; 2009/0074942; 2009/0074943; 2009/0090673; and 2009/0090678 

I refer to your request for an internal review which was received on 12 January  2010. You indicated that:

‘Following discussion with the Information Commissioner’s Office, we wish to ask for an internal review of all our outstanding information requests where the Department has sought an exemption under Section 14.‘  

 

The Department has now completed its internal review process and has carried out a thorough review of the case, chaired by a senior officer who was not involved with the original request. The review carefully considered the annex to your request.

The Department has decided to uphold the original decision to engage section 14 of the Freedom of Information Act (the Act), for the same reasons set out in the letter of 13 November 2009.

The review noted that there had been delays in dealing with the requests which are the subject of your complaint and other requests which you made. The delays were considerable in some cases and certainly beyond the deadline required by the Act for responses. I would like to apologise on behalf of the Department for this.

If you are unhappy with this decision, you have the right to appeal directly to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

            The Case Reception Unit

            Customer Service Team

Information Commissioner’s Office

            Wycliffe House

            Water Lane

            Wilmslow

            Cheshire

            SK9 5AF

Further information about the Information Commissioner’s complaints procedure can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office website: http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom_of_information.aspx

Yours sincerely

Ian Adkin

Deputy Director

Chief Information Officer Group