What happens next?

When will I get a reply?

Upon receipt of your request we will acknowledge it and provide a reference number, normally within a couple of working days.  We will provide a full reply within 20 working days. Our reply may:

give you the information you’ve asked for;

tell you we do not hold the information that you have requested;

refuse to give you the information, and explain why; or,

under the Freedom of Information Act, say that we need more time to consider the public interest in disclosing or withholding the information, and tell you when to expect a response. This should not be later than 40 working days after the date of receipt of your request.

under the Environmental Information Regulations, say that we need more time as the information requested is particularly complex and there is a lot of information to provide. In such cases the time limit can be extended by a further 20 working days as long as we respond within the initial time limit stating when we believe we will be able to respond in full.

Will I always get the information I ask for?

Not always. The Freedom of Information Act recognizes that there will be valid reasons why some kinds of information may be withheld, such as if its release would prejudice national security or damage commercial interests. These are known as exemptions and an explanation of what these are can be viewed through the following link: Reasons for Refusing a Freedom of Information Request - ICO For some exemptions we must consider whether the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in releasing it. If we decide that the information cannot be released we will tell you which exemption we are applying and explain why.

We are not obliged to deal with vexatious or repeated requests. Also, there is an ‘appropriate limit’ to the amount of time we are required to commit to providing the information requested. This is currently set at 18 hours and if we estimate that providing a response will exceed this limit it is our policy to exempt the information. However, where possible, we will provide advice on how you might refine your request so that it can be answered within the appropriate limit.