Mr John Walker 
[FOI #755 email] 
 
15 July 2008 
 
 
Dear Mr Walker 
 
Freedom of information request – RFI20080664 
 
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”) dated 
18 June 2008.  You requested the following information: 
 
1.  Has Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC ever attended a Common Purpose 
training course?  If so, please list the courses they have attended, their dates, their cost 
and details of who paid for them. 
2.  Is Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC a Common Purpose graduate?  
 
The BBC can confirm that Mr Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC, has not 
attended a Common Purpose training course during his employment at the BBC, nor has he 
become a ‘Common Purpose graduate’ during this time. 
 
We can voluntarily confirm that Mark Thompson spoke at an event for the 10th anniversary 
of Common Purpose Oxfordshire in September 2007. 
 
Appeal Rights 
If you are not satisfied with this response you have the right to an internal review by a BBC 
senior manager or legal adviser. Please contact us at the address above, explaining what you 
would like us to review and including your reference number. If you are not satisfied with 
the internal review, you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The contact details 
are:  Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, 
SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545 700 or see http://www.ico.gov.uk/ 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
A Chard 
Adviser, Information Policy & Compliance 
 
 
 
 

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