Corporate Services Division
Central Freedom of Information Team
Room A5.4
Castle Buildings
Stormont Estate
BELFAST BT4 3SR
Tel: 028 9052 8242 (Ext 28242)
Email: [email address]
Richard Jackson
Your Ref:
Request-1663-
[email address]
Our Ref:
FOI 17399
Date:
5 September 2008
Dear Mr Jackson
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I refer to your request for information, which was received on 11th August 2008,
seeking ‘copies of any information that has been created or provided to Departments
to assist them in determining what category each request will fall under’. I am writing
to confirm that OFMDFM has now completed its search for this information and
relevant copies are enclosed with this letter.
By way of background, please note that the draft document (enclosed) was prepared
by the Central FOI team pre-2005 (ie, prior to the full implementation of the FOI Act
2000) suggesting the types of information that could be collected for management
information purposes. The categorisation of requests featured in this document - see
item C, ‘Sources of requests’. Then, following the introduction of the general right of
access to information on 1st January 2005, the Northern Ireland FOI Practitioners’
Group - at a meeting held on 16th February 2005 - discussed the categorisation
issue.
The Head of the Central FOI team reported to the Group that guidance on the
categorisation of requesters was currently being developed, and would issue in due
course. This guidance was issued on 1st March 2005 and is also enclosed. Please
note that information not relevant to your request has been redacted from this
document. At the next FOI Practitioners’ Group meeting (17th June 2005), there was
further discussion and other categories were considered. It was agreed that the
category of ‘Professional Body’ should be added. However, the categories specified
in the above-mentioned guidance document of 1st March 2005 have, in practice,
served as the main descriptors.
OF1/08/0042007
At the most recent Practitioners’ Group meeting (12th June 2008) the ‘Member of
Public’ category was discussed, with a view to counting and categorising separately,
requests for information regarding employment issues submitted by members of
staff. A sub-group is being set up to examine this matter more fully, and to report
back to the main Group. It is also worth mentioning that the OFMDFM Private
Offices, upon receipt of the draft 2007 FOI Annual Report, asked that the ‘pressure
groups’ category of requester be renamed ‘campaigning groups’ – Departments have
been advised of the adoption of this change.
If you are unhappy with the level of service you have received in relation to our
handling of this request, you may ask for an internal review within two calendar
months of the date of this letter. You should contact –
Mrs Deirdre Kenny
Corporate Services Division
Room E4.20
Castle Buildings
Stormont Estate
BELFAST
BT4 3SR
Tel -
028 9052 8157
Email -
[email address]
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you then have the right
to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information
Commissioner can be contacted at –
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
WILMSLOW
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
The Information Commissioner will not investigate a complaint unless the internal
review procedure outlined above has been completed.
The supply of information under the Freedom of Information Act does not give the
recipient or organisation that receives it the automatic right to re-use it in any way
that would infringe copyright. The information supplied to you continues to be
protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. You are free to use it for
your own purposes, including non-commercial research and for the purposes of news
reporting. Any other re-use, for example, making multiple copies, commercial
publishing and issuing copies to the public requires the permission of the copyright
holder and is regulated by the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005.
Most documents supplied by OFMDFM will have been produced by government
officials and will be Crown Copyright. Permission to re-use such information must be
obtained in advance from the Controller of HMSO who has responsibility for the
licensing of Crown copyright material. For further details on how to apply for a
licence, please see: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index.htm
OF1/08/0042007
If you have been provided with information which has originated from 3rd parties, this
continues to be protected by the copyright of the person or organisation from which
the information originated. You must ensure that you gain their permission before
reproducing any 3rd party (ie non Crown Copyright) information supplied to you.
Please contact me if you have any queries about this letter, remembering to quote
the reference number above in any future communications.
Yours sincerely
David Lammey
Head of Central Freedom of Information Team
OF1/08/0042007
