1 Horse Guards Road,
Information Rights Unit
London.
SW1A 2HQ
Tel: 020 7270 4558
Fax: 020 7451 4861
Paul Perrin
[HM Treasury request email]
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
By email:
[FOI #5683 email]
Our refs:
IRU/9/21
Email/15287/2009
5th February 2009
Dear Mr. Perrin,
Thank you for your enquiry dated 9th January 2009 asking for information under the
Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2000.
You asked for:
… all government/treasury documents containing predictions as to the duration
(and/or end) of the current recession …
The FoI Act provides a right of access to recorded information not documents. The
Government is required, by the 1975 Industry Act, to publish two economic forecasts
a year. It does this in the Pre-Budget Report in the autumn and in the Budget in the
spring. These forecasts provide the information you request.
The Government last published an economic forecast on 24th November 2008 in the
2008 Pre-Budget Report. Those projections, and an extensive discussion of them,
can be found here:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pbr08_annexa_339.pdf.
The Treasury will produce and publish updated forecasts for the UK economy in the
2009 Budget, as is normal practice.
The FoI Act establishes a legal process, and so, formally, we have to point out that
as this information has already been published it is exempt from re-issue under
section 21 of the Act. However, we are happy to provide the web link above for you
to locate the relevant information.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact us at the email account given
in the header to this letter. It would help us, if you could remember to quote the IRU
reference number (also in the header) in any future communications.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Unit
On behalf of HM Treasury
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review
of our decision, you should write within two months of the date of this letter to HM Treasury, Information Rights Unit, 2/SW, 1 Horse
Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ.
Email: [HM Treasury request email]
If you are not content with the outcome your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.
Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Treasury. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 5AF.
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