Naval Service
FOI Cell
Navy Command Headquarters
Navy Command
MP 1-4
Leach Building
Whale Island
PORTSMOUTH PO2 8BY
Telephone: 02392 625081
Military: 93832 5081
DII:
Our Ref: 31-07-2008-150140-007
E-mail: [email address]
28 August 2008
Mr A Gibbons
[email address]
Dear Mr Gibbons
Request for Information – Final Response
Thank you for your request for information received 31 July 2008, which requested
information regarding ex-serviceman R G Holloway P/064195 and details of Navy policy
on personal items that are worn on duty. Your enquiry has been considered to be a
request for information in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Regretfully I cannot supply the personal information regarding RG Holloway you have
requested as this would be in breach of the Data Protection Principles as laid down in the
1998 Data Protection Act, and hence is information classed as exempt from disclosure
under s40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This is an absolute exemption under
the FOI Act and does not require a Public Interest Test.
I am however able to pass on details of Navy policy regarding on personal items allowed
to be worn on duty. These are:
• Visible civilian items of apparel shall not be worn except where specifically authorised in
Royal Navy and Royal Marines Uniform Regulations.
• Jewellery:
o
Apart from wrist watches and cuff links where appropriate, no jewellery is to be worn
with uniform other than:
Signet, engagement and wedding ring for male personnel.
Signet, engagement and wedding ring, with single small plain gold sleeper
stud (not more than 6mm in diameter) earring in each earlobe for female
personnel.
o
Local Orders for Royal Guards or other occasions of major ceremony may further
limit items of jewellery to be worn.
• Body
piercing:
o
Even where another part of the body other than the ear has been pierced or
prepared, whether for any ring, stud or sleeper, no such items are to be worn.
• Glasses and Sunglasses:
o
Both shall be of conservative design and colour. Carrying cases shall not be visibly
carried in or on uniform dress. Personnel who normally wear glasses may wear
either conventionally framed prescription sunglasses or conservatively styled clip-on
sunglasses when conditions and circumstance dictate.
o
Mirrored lenses shall not be worn by personnel in uniform. These lenses, also
referred to as half-silver mirrors, have a highly reflective metallic substance
deposited on the surface, thereby creating a mirrored effect.
I hope this response satisfies your request in terms of the policy details you have
requested at least. I have explained above why I am unable to supply the personal
information you have requested.
If you are unhappy with this response or you wish to complain about any aspect of the
handling of your request, then you should contact me in the first instance. If informal
resolution is not possible and you are still dissatisfied then you may apply for an
independent internal review by contacting the Director of Information Exploitation, 6th Floor,
MOD Main Building, Whitehall, SW1A 2HB (e-mail [email address]) Please note that
any request for an internal review must be made within two calendar months of the date on
which the attempt to reach informal resolution has come to an end.
If you remain unhappy following an internal review, you may take your complaint to the
Information Commissioner under the provisions of Section 50 of the Freedom of
Information Act. Please note that the Information Commissioner will not investigate the
case until the internal review process has been completed. Further details of the role and
powers of the Information Commissioner can be found on the Commissioner’s website,
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Yours Sincerely
Mike Demetriou
The Constitution Unit, a research body at University College London, is carrying out an independent
evaluative study of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in co-operation with a number of public authorities,
including the Ministry of Defence. An important part of the evaluation process is gathering the experiences
and opinions of FOI requesters like you. Any information you provide will only be seen by the Constitution
Unit and will be handled in accordance with its privacy policy explained in the survey. The Ministry of
Defence will only see the published results: no individual responses will be visible to us and your
participation will have no effect on your future dealings with the Ministry.
If you would like to take part in this study, please visit the following link to be taken directly to the survey:
http://tinyurl.com/6prff8. Or, if you prefer, contact Ben Worthy at [email address] or on 020 7679 4974
to ask more about the study.
If you have filled this survey out before, we invite you to fill it out again in light of the recent response to your
request.
