Direct Communications Unit

2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

Switchboard 020 7035 4848 Fax: 020 7035 4745 Textphone: 020 7035 4742

E-mail: [Home Office request email] Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

[email address]

Reference: T16029/9 and 12799

13 October 2009

Dear Mr Taylor,

I am writing further to my letter of 15 September 2009 about your request for information on four TASER international products, together with copies of any protocols, reports and timetables relating to the evaluation of these products.

We are considering your request. Although the Act carries a presumption in favour of disclosure, it provides exemptions which may be used to withhold information in specified circumstances. Some of these exemptions, referred to as `qualified exemptions', are subject to the public interest test. This test is used to balance the public interest in disclosure against the public interest in favour of withholding the information. The Act allows us to exceed the 20 working day response target where we need to consider the public interest test fully.

The information which you have requested is being considered under the exemption in section 43(2) of the Act, which relates to commercial interests. This is a qualified exemption and to consider the public interest test fully we need to extend the 20 working day response period. We now aim to let you have a full response by 10 November 2009.

If you have any queries about the handling of your information request then please do not hesitate to contact me.      

Yours sincerely

Derrick Orchard