7 September 2009

Mr S Hardwicke Carruthers

Via email ([FOI #16626 email])

Our ref: CS/09/084/HJP

(Please quote our reference when contacting us)

If telephoning contact Hilary Pook on 020 7217 4734

or if using email send to: [email address]

Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Request for information

In your email of 11 August you asked for copies of our registers of gifts and hospitality maintained for the last 10 years, and a copy of the review of these, as recommended by the Commission's auditors.

The reasoning you gave for wanting this information is flawed - you have suggested a reason for carrying out a review, not your reason for wanting the information. Also, your reasoning relates to expenses claims, whereas the register is of gifts and hospitality - not expenses.

However, as stated in our publication scheme, the registers are available for inspection at our London office, so this option is available to you. They are books, so electronic versions are not available. If you want to make an appointment to visit our office to view them, please let me know.

An internal review of each team's hospitality register has been conducted, and an oral report was given at the July Audit Committee meeting. There is no written review to send you, so the information you have requested is not held. (The minute of this item will appear in the Audit Committee minutes for July which will go to the next Commission meeting, and appear on our website in due course.)

That concludes my response. If you feel I have not dealt properly with your request, you have the right to appeal and, should you wish to do so, I can supply a copy our internal complaints procedure. If you do request an internal review - can you please indicate why you are unhappy with my response. You also have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner to determine whether your request has been properly dealt with. You should note however that the Commissioner will not consider any complaint where you have not first exhausted our internal complaints process or where there has been undue delay in contacting him. You will be able to obtain further details of the Information Commissioner's role from the website on www.ico.gov.uk.

Yours sincerely

Hilary Pook

Hilary Pook (Ms)

Communications and Records Manager

LGO 01 (03/08)