Mr Walker
Via email: [FOI #1490 email]
5 August 2008
Dear Mr Walker,
FOIA request - RFI20080826
Thank you for your request of 29 July for information under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. You ask for the following:
1. copies of your organisation's policy documents relating to the selection of personnel for Common
Purpose training.
2. copies of ALL correspondence (email, letters, memos etc) relating to the selection of personnel
for Common Purpose training.
The reference number for your request is RFI20080826.
The BBC does not have a documented 'policy' regarding Common Purpose Training, rather, we
use it as appropriate where we believe it would be of benefit to an individual and the corporation.
With regard to the second part of your query, I estimate that to deal with your request would
take more than two and a half days. Under section 12 of the Act, we are allowed to refuse to
handle the request if it would exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit has been set by
the Regulations (SI 2004/3244) as being £450 (equivalent to two and a half days work, at an hourly
rate of £25).
The reason for this is that it would involve a detailed search of the emails and correspondence of
more than 120 staff right across the BBC who book and organise training for their teams.
Appeal rights
You may request an internal review of our decision that your request exceeds the appropriate
limit. You can either email
[BBC request email] or write to BBC Information Policy & Compliance,
Room 2252, BBC White City, 201 Wood Lane, London, W12 7TS. If you are not satisfied with the
result of the internal review you then have the right to seek a further review from the Information
Commissioner. Please see http://www.ico.gov.uk or contact the Information Commissioner’s
Office, Wycliffe House, Water lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545700 for
details.
Yours sincerely,
Laura Ellis
Business Manager, BBC English Regions
