Diane Scott
[[FOI #25099 email]]
9 February 2010
Our Ref: FOI Review 2010/04 – F0085877
[FOI Request 2009/214 – F0082080]
Dear Ms Scott,
Re: Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 – Request for Information
Thank you for your email which was received by the University on 6 February 2010 timed
00:57 hours requesting a Review of our actions, as detailed below.
“Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of University of Glasgow's handling of my FOI request 'Internal
Audit Update 2009'.
Can you please review why it took the university longer than the maximum time allowed by law to answer
this request and see if there are lessons that can be learned to prevent further transgressions in future?
Can you also review the reasons for withholding information. The university says that release of this
information would cause severe damage to its commercial interests but the public interest in disclosure its
slight. I think this is logically incorrect. If there is information that if it was made public would cause this
enormous damage then surely the public interest in disclosure must be substantial due to the fact that the
University including the vet school receives millions of pounds each year from taxpayers.
Also you state
"The disclosure of the requested information, at this time, would be likely to be detrimental to the public
interest by inhibiting organisations from entering into relationships and working with the Faculty and the
University. This in turn would threaten a major source of clinical income and could lead to the gaining of
competitive advantage by rivals. This possible failure to achieve maximum income potential would
substantially prejudice the commercial interests of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the University of
Glasgow."
Aren't you actually letting the cat out of the bag already by admitting that on a website that is open to the
public? Surely any organisation that was thinking about entering such an arrangement would already be
put off by the seriousness of the disclosure that you have just made. If the weaknesses that your auditors
have identified are so dreadful then it must be the case that any organisation that might be inhibited by the
disclosure of the detail of these weaknesses will already have been inhibited by the fact that you are
acknowledging both the fact of these weaknesses and their extreme seriousness on a publicly available
website.
DATA PROTECTION AND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICE
Main Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Data Protection: Telephone: 0141-330-3111
E-Mail: [email address]
Freedom of Information: Telephone: 0141-330-2523
E-Mail: foi@gla.ac.uk
The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401
I think that it must be in your interests and also the public interest to disclose the detail now because there
is a big danger that people will believe that they are actually worse than they really are.
I notice that your decisions have been subject to a lot of appeals in the past. I hope you don't mind me
saying but very often your response to the appeal does not answer the points that the person making the
appeal has made and just says that the person reviewing the decision believes that the right decision was
made.
I am fairly sure that you will reject this appeal like you have rejected all of the others but if you do can you
please analyse the argument that I have made above and tell me where you disagree with the logic that I
am putting forward.
Can you also tell me the name of the person conducting the appeal and give me details of the experience
(including any formal training) that they have in the operation of the Freedom of Information Act.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/internal_audit_update_2009
The University acknowledges receipt of your Request for a Review and confirms that a
response to your request for Review will be sent to you promptly; and in any event not later
than 5 March 2010, as required under the terms of FOISA. The University will contact you if
the University requires any further information.
Yours sincerely,
Data Protection and Freedom of Information Office
