Consular Directorate
WH4.2 King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2PA
Tel: 020 7 008 0921
Our reference: FOI 1016-09/CONS 101-09
Fax: 020 7008 0426
www.fco.gov.uk
14 January 2010
E-mail: [email address]
Ms Tania Berlow
By e-mail:
[FOI #24270 email]
Dear Ms Berlow,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST
Thank you for your e-mail of 4 December in which you requested the following information relating to
forced marriages under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA or Act). Your request stated:
“I would like to know how many cases have been recorded of girls or boys who have been forced into
a marriage and removed from the state school system by means of deregistration in order to home
educate?
Please if there are any cases, disaggregate the number per Local Authority involved.”
The joint Home Office-Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) holds
data about forced marriage cases reported to them, but no accurate information specifically relating to
those involving the removal of a child from the state education system. The nature of forced marriage
means that cases often go unreported. However, FMU are working with governmental and non
governmental partners to build the best statistical picture possible.
Of the cases of potential forced marriage referred to FMU the following proportion related to persons
under 18:
2008- 29%
2009- 22.5%
You may be interested in the attached report on forced marriage and responses to it funded by the
Department for Children, Schools and Families in July 2009 which covers some of the issues raised in
your request.
If you have any queries about this letter, or are unhappy with the service you have received in relation
to your request and wish to make a complaint, you should write to Rosaleen Wotton at the above
address within 40 days of this reply. If necessary, we will conduct an internal review of how we
handled your request. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to
the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a
decision unless you have exhausted the complaint procedure provided by the FCO. The ICO can be
contacted at The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data
Protection Act 1998 (which may be viewed at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk). Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK
Government Departments and public authorities.
[signed]
Louise Edwards
Strategy, Communications and Training Group
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data
Protection Act 1998 (which may be viewed at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk). Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK
Government Departments and public authorities.
