Information Access Team
Shared Services Directorate
2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF
Switchboard 020 7035 4848
E-mail: [email address] Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Dear Mr Wylie, Our reference: 13853
Date: 13 April 2010
I am writing further to our e-mail of 11 March 2010, about your request for
information with regard to how the Home Office works with the Scottish
Executive. Your request is being handled as a request for information under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
We are stil in the process of 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 a 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 stil being considered under the
exemptions in section 23 (1) – security matters – and section 31 (1) (a) –
administration of justice - of the Act. These are qualified exemptions 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 12 May 2010.
If you have any questions about the handling of your information request then
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Robert Clifford
Information Access Team
Information Management Service
Financial and Commercial Group
Ground Floor (NW), Seacole Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
