Can I complain if I am unhappy with the
Contact address:
Department’s handling of my request for
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
information?
Information Management Branch
You have the right to complain to the Department
Room 507 Dundonald House
if we do not deal with your request for information
Upper Newtownards Road
within the timescales set by the legislation, that is,
Belfast BT4 3SB
normally not later than 20 working days after the
Tel:
028 9052 4199
The Right
date your enquiry is received by the Department.
You also have the right to complain if you are
Fax:
028 9052 4196
dissatisfied with our response to your request
Email:
[Research Education Advisory Panel (Northern Ireland) request email]
to Know
for information.
Or visit our Internet site: www.dardni.gov.uk
!
Public Information Leaflet
If you wish to complain please write to Appeals
Section at the address on the back of the leaflet.
Please note that you must provide us with a name
Normally you will receive a reply within 20 working
and address (or email address) to enable us to
days after the date your complaint is received.
respond to your request.
If you are still dissatisfied after the internal review
you can request a review by the Information
Commissioner at the address below.
Where can I get more information about
FOI and EIRs?
Note: This guide provides
You can get more information from the
a brief outline of your rights
Office of the Information Commissioner.
under the Freedom of
The Information Commissioner’s details are:
Information Act 2000 and
Environmental Information
Website: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Regulations 2004 and how
Tel:
01625 545 700
we will deal with your request
Email:
[email address]
for information. This leaflet
Post:
Information Commissioner,
should not be regarded as a
Wycliffe House,
legal interpretation.
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
CHESHIRE SK9 5AF
Media Services: 05.06.215
What is the right to know?
therefore takes a long time to gather, or if
What happens if the information I want
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI)
we have to consider if providing it is in the public
is not avaliable?
and the Environmental Information Regulations
interest, or if we are waiting for you to pay a fee.
The legislation does not require us to gather or
2004 (EIRs) came into effect on 1 January 2005.
create information that is not already there. We
The legislation gives you the right to request
It will help us to process your request more quickly
will contact you and tell you what information we
information held by a wide range of public
if you are as specific as possible about what
do hold that might help to answer your query or
authorities.
information you want. Sometimes we might have
suggest another public authority which may hold
to contact you in order to clarify exactly what
the information you want.
What information can I obtain?
information you are interested in.
The legislation enables you to get information to
Can I have any information at all?
help you to understand better how this
What are exemptions?
The legislation allows you access to most of the
Department works, how we spend public money,
Both the FOI Act and EIRs contain a number of
information that a public body holds, but there
and how and why we make our decisions.
exemptions (in the EIRs they are called “exceptions”)
are some things that are exempt from release.
EIRs provide access specifically to
allowing the Department to withhold information
For example,
“environmental information”.
in certain circumstances. However, most of the
information held by the Department will not be
• Information about national security, law
You can also get information under the Data
subject to exemptions.
enforcement or personal information (you can
Protection Act 1998 (DPA) which, amongst other
obtain your own personal information through
things, gives individuals access to their own
Is there a cost for getting information?
the DPA).
personal information. The DPA applies to private
This depends on a number of factors including the
enterprise as well as public authorities.
volume of material requested. Responses to
• Personal information supplied by, or in relation
enquiries that cost the Department less than £6001
to, third parties may be available only in certain
How do I get information held by
to process will normally be provided free of charge,
circumstances.
the Department?
although there may be a small charge for the costs
If you have access to the Internet you can get
of photocopying, printing and postage.
• The Department is not obliged to send you
information using the request form which can be
information that is already available elsewhere
found in the FOI section of the departmental
The Department has the right to refuse to respond
e.g. in our publication scheme on our website
website at www.dardni.gov.uk. Alternatively, you
to a request that is estimated to cost more than
at www.dardni.gov.uk
can write to us at the address on the back of this
£600 to process unless the request is for information
leaflet. Environmental information can be
covered by EIRs, in which case the Department
What if I am refused information?
requested verbally or in writing.
has to process the request if you are prepared to
If we decide not to disclose some information
pay the costs. If the cost is greater than £600 and
because it is exempt, we will explain to you why
How long does it take to get information?
you agree to pay these costs, the Department will
it is being withheld.
The legislation requires us to respond to your
provide you with the information unless it is covered
request for information as soon as possible and
by an exception.
not later than 20 working days after the date of
receipt. The timescale may have to be extended if
the information requested is very extensive and
1Includes the cost of finding, sorting or redacting the material
