Dear Mr Jones

Freedom of Information Request

Thank you for your email of 15/04/09 in which you asked for the following information from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

How many Freedom of Information request have the Tax Payers Alliance asked the department (please take the department to refer both the DCA and NOMS) since 2005

Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

I have searched our electronic databases which record the receipt of Freedom of Information requests made to NOMS, the DCA and the Ministry of Justice.

I searched the NOMS database for “Tax Payers Alliance” but no matches were found. I also searched the MoJ database for “Tax Payers Alliance” and I can confirm that one match was found.

It may be possible that we have received more requests from the Tax Payers Alliance but they have been entered onto the database under the requesters name and therefore can't be found using the search facility.

If you provide the name of the individuals from the Tax Payers Alliance who made requests we will be able to conduct another search. However, in order to comply with the Data Protection Act you would need to supply signed written consent from each individual along with proof of their identity. This can be confirmed by providing a copy of the photograph page of their passport or driving licence or a copy of a recent utility bill.

It may also be possible that if we conducted a manual search of each individual request since 2005 we could find out if, and how many, requests we had received from the Tax Payers Allowance. However, this would require a manual search of over at least 3,000 cases.

Section 12 of the FOIA makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for central government is set at £600. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 3.5 working days in determining whether the Department holds the information, locating, retrieving and extracting the information.

As your request is widely framed, I estimate that it will take us in excess of 3.5 working days to conduct a manual search and determine appropriate material within the scope of your request, and locate, retrieve and extract that information.

You may wish to narrow the scope of your request in order to try and bring it within the cost limit, by being more specific about which information you wish to receive, including any dates or periods of time which are relevant. For example, you may wish to narrow the scope of your request by asking for the number of requests made from the Tax Payers Alliance on a specific day.

As part of our obligations under the FOIA, the Ministry of Justice has an independent review process. If you are dissatisfied with this decision, you may write to request an internal review. The internal review will be carried out by someone who did not make the original decision, and they will re-assess how the Department handled the original request.

If you wish to request an internal review, please write or send an email to the Data Access and Compliance Unit within two months of the date of this letter, at the following address:

Data Access and Compliance Unit

Information Directorate

Ministry of Justice

1^st Floor, Zone 1C

Postal Point 1.41

102 Petty France

London

SW1H 9AJ

e-mail: [email address]

If you remain dissatisfied after an internal review decision, you have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner's Office under Section 50 of the FOIA. You can contact the Information Commissioner's Office at the following address:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Internet: https://www.ico.gov.uk/Global/contact_us.aspx

Yours sincerely

Paul Hunt

Data Access & Compliance Unit

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