Ms Susan Davis

Email: [FOI #18449 email]

Reference: FOICR 13249/09

Date: 24 November 2009

Dear Ms Davis

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

Thank you for your email of 24 October further to Selwyn Hughes' email concerning your request for statistical information on names. You asked for a further search to be conducted on the passport data that we hold.

You asked:-

I would like to make a request for some information from the Identity and Passport Service's records of UK residents.

What I would like to know is, for each first name / surname combination, what the incidence of that name combination in the UK population is.

What I would envisage in terms of a reply is a table with three columns: First name, Surname, and in the third column, the number of people found during the census with that first name and surname combination. An Excel spreadsheet would be an ideal format, but csv or similar will be acceptable if that is not possible.

I regret to inform you that the Identity and Passport Service does not hold the information that you have requested.

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may request an independent internal review of our handling of your request by submitting your complaint to:

Information Rights Team
Information and Record Management Service
Home Office
4th Floor, Seacole Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Email: [email address]

During the independent review the department's handling of your information request will be reassessed by members of staff who were not involved in providing you with this response. Should you remain dissatisfied after this internal review, you will have a right of complaint to the Information Commissioner as established by section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act.

I realise that this response may be a disappointment to you. However I would like to assure you that a thorough search was conducted and that I am confident that we do not hold the information that you asked for.

Yours sincerely

H Reid

Freedom of Information Team

Passport Adviceline: 0300 222 0000 (07.00 - 23.00 seven days a week).

Email us at [Identity & Passport Service request email]. Visit our website at www.ips.gov.uk.

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Headquarters

Parliamentary & Correspondence Management Team

8^th Floor, Globe House

89 Eccleston Square

London

SW1V 1PN

Tel (0207) 901 2426

Fax (0870) 336 9175

Email [Identity & Passport Service request email]

Web www.ips.gov.uk