05 May 2009

[FOI #10515 email]

London SW1A 2AH

Dear Mr Jones

YOUR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST: REF 0307-08

Thank you for the above Freedom of Information request, received on 8 April 2008. In that request you asked:

How much has been spent by the FCO Library on

1. books 2. Newspapers 3. Serials

since 2006, please break this information down by year.

The FCO Library was closed at the end of 2007, and the FCO has moved to a devolved model where departments and overseas posts purchase their own information sources. Since then there has been a significant cost saving exercise which is reflected in the reduced figure for the last financial year.

The following table gives a breakdown of the entire FCO's spend on books, newspapers, press cuttings, periodicals and electronic information subscriptions up to the end of the 2009 financial year.

We cannot provide a breakdown by information category, but the largest proportion of costs is attributable to newspapers and press cuttings.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications. 

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint, or request a review of our decision you should write to me at the above address. You have 40 working days to do so.

If you are not content with the outcome of that internal review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaint procedure provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

.

John Wright

Head of Open Source Team

Information and Technology Directorate

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Foreign &

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Office