Annex A

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Annex A

Dear Mr Eriksohn,

Thank you for your e-mail of 19 August asking for a review of the response we sent to you following your request under the Freedom of Information Act.

You request was as follows:

I fail to see how this would bring the system to a grinding halt as it has worked in the past. Also there are telephone providers other than BT which itself charges considerably more for calls to non-geographic numbers with its tariff aimed specifically at those on benefit.

For these reasons I would be grateful if you could reconsider the exemption.

Additionally I take it from the striking out that you will no longer call someone back where they would find it difficult to meet the cost.

Can explain what is meant by the term 'standard rate' when referring to call costs.

Our original reply provided a detailed description of our business and explained that disclosure of the geographic numbers that you are seeking would result in deterioration in the customer service we provide as a consequence of unmanaged access to our telephone network. Use of geographic numbers, as used in the past, is incompatible with our present systems.

We fully investigated the consequences of releasing these numbers before providing our first response and you have not provided us with any additional evidence to consider. We are therefore upholding our original decision not to release the geographic numbers.

In response to your additional points: we are unable to comment on the tariffs charged to our customers by their telephony providers, as these are outside our control; if a customer calling the Department for Work and Pensions' 0800 or 0845 services asks us, or raises concerns over the cost of the call, we will offer to call them back.

With reference to call costs, our reference to `standard rate' is the rate that a telephone service provider usually charges to call 0845 numbers.

Yours sincerely

Central FOI Team

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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act

If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing [DWP request email] or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, 2^nd Floor The Adelphi, 1-11, John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner's Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF www.ico.gov.uk

DWP Central Freedom of Information Team

e-mail: [DWP request email]

Our Ref: FoI 1662

3 September 2009