Annie Wilkes
By email to [FOI #5301 email]
28 January 2009
Dear Ms Wilkes
RFI20081511 - Freedom of Information request Thank you for your email of 30th December 2008, requesting
“all recorded information used to create this press release of 3 September 2007 and any discussions
about this press release”
The press release referred to is
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/09_september/03/who.shtml
The information you requested is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the
Act”).
Your request falls outside the scope of the Act because the BBC and the other public service
broadcasters are covered by the Act only in respect of information held for purposes “other than
those of journalism, art or literature” (see Schedule I, Part VI of the Act). We are not therefore
obliged to supply information held for the purposes of creating the BBC’s output or information
that supports and is closely associated with these creative activities. Information which is not
subject to disclosure under the Act because of Schedule I might otherwise be exempt from
disclosure because of the application of other provisions of the Act.
Outside the scope of the Act, I can advise you that the press release was drafted for the BBC by
Taylor Herring Public Relations. Also the person who would have been most closely involved with
liaison with Taylor Herring, the Head of Communications for Drama at the time, left the BBC
some time ago and it is unlikely that any of her records relating to this event in 2007 remain.
For more information about how the Act applies to the BBC please see www.bbc.co.uk/foi
Please note that this guidance is not intended to be a comprehensive legal interpretation of how
the Act applies to the BBC.
Appeal Rights
The BBC does not offer an internal review when the information requested is not covered by the
Act. If you disagree with our decision you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. Contact
details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire,
SK9 5AF telephone 01625 545 700. http://www.ico.gov.uk
Yours sincerely,
Rachel Hallett
Advisor, Information Policy & Compliance
