Dear Mr Elibank

Freedom of Information Request

I am writing in response to your request for information which was submitted online on 7th March 2010. We have considered your request under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You requested the following information:

“Please provide me with a list of every postcode currently in use. Since I am not asking for location information about these postcodes, they are presumably not exempted on the same grounds as the Postcode Address File would be.”

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. Postcodes are part of the PAF® database and therefore the information being requested is not available free of charge. However a free look up service is available via the Royal Mail website, but we do ask for appropriate payment from other types of users for data supply and licence to licence to use the PAF® database. In addition, it is possible to visit the Post Office Archive Museum and look up any postcodes on the UK Addresses CD without removing or obtaining a copy of the data.

Address Management products are listed in Royal Mail Group's publication scheme, where it is noted that charges may apply, and the information is therefore covered by Section 21(1) of the Freedom of Information Act. This is an absolute exemption, meaning that no further consideration of the public interest in the information is needed.

The information is also considered to be exempt from disclosure under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act - Prejudice to Commercial Interests. This is because the 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. Disclosing the information without restraint via the Freedom of Information Act would clearly devalue the products marketed by Royal Mail and prejudice the commercial interests of Royal Mail and others who use the information as part of their commercial services.

This exemption is subject to the Public Interest Test. 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. On the other hand, the information is already made available via other means and disclosing the information via FOI 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. However, if for any reason you are not satisfied with this response, you do have the right to request a review. 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…

22^nd March 2010