Dear Mr Metcalfe

Re: Freedom of Information Request

I am writing in response to your request for information which was submitted online on 23^rd November 2009. We have considered your request under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You requested the following information:

“Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would like:

- To obtain a copy of the licence granted by the Ordnance Survey to the Royal Mail allowing the Address Management Unit to include Ordnance Survey data in your Postzon product;

- To know the annual fee charged by Ordnance Survey for this Licence”.

The Postcode Address File is the central database owned and managed by Royal Mail that holds all the postcodes and postal addresses - approximately 27.5 million of them - in the UK. Under the conditions of its licence, Royal Mail is obliged to maintain the postcode address file and make it available to any person who wishes to use it on terms that are reasonable.

This is information has a clear commercial value and is marketed by Royal Mail through the Address Management Unit and other resellers. Information on all postal addresses and postcodes in the United Kingdom has been built up and managed by Royal Mail. Many organisations including new postal operators, banks, insurance companies and others offering to deliver goods to the public's door have a need for this information. It would be very time-consuming and costly for anyone to try and recreate the information, and it therefore has a commercial value. Royal Mail licenses the data, for a fee, allowing others to use it.

Postzon™ is regularly updated by Royal Mail using additional data obtained from third parties including Ordnance Survey. We consider that the terms of the commercial arrangement for the provision of this data to be confidential and that the release of this information would be prejudicial to Royal Mail's commercial interests. For example, it would be likely to be utilised by competitors, and could prejudice Royal Mail's position when re-negotiating such arrangements with Ordnance Survey and other data suppliers.

I am therefore unable to provide the information you have requested as it is considered to be exempt from disclosure under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act - Prejudice to Commercial Interests. This exemption is subject to the public interest test, but we believe that in this case the public interest lies in withholding information where disclosure could prejudice commercial relationships and future contractual negotiations with data suppliers. We believe that there is public interest in allowing normal market forces to operate in this environment and in protecting the commercial interests of Royal Mail and others. Disclosing the information via Freedom of Information would not in any way inform the public or contribute to public interest in openness or transparency of public services. Therefore we believe that in all circumstances of the case the public interest is best met by applying the exemption and that the information should not be disclosed.

I am sorry that your request cannot be met on this occasion. If you are not satisfied with this response, you do have a right of appeal. If you wish to do so please set out in writing your grounds of appeal and send to The Head of Information Compliance, Royal Mail Group, Company Secretary's Office, 100 Victoria Embankment, LONDON, EC4Y 0HQ. An internal panel will then review the decision, and you will be advised of the outcome.

If you decide to appeal and are still not satisfied with our response you also have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 700

www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Cont…

21 December 2009