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Argos as an approved supplier
Paul W Sullivan made this Freedom of Information request to National Offender Management Service
The request was partially successful.
From: Paul W Sullivan
3 April 2009
Dear Sir or Madam,
In most prisons the only 'approved supplier' is the Argos
catalogue.
1: Is there a formal agreement between NOMS, the Prison service or
the Home Office with Argos or its holding company?
2: Does NOMS, the Prison Service, the Home Office or individual
'canteen' supplier gain any financial reward from Argos or it's
parent company for (a) access to prisoners or (b) for each order or
total cost of orders placed?
3: If your answer is that individual governors decide to use Argos
as a supplier are there any incentives or rewards offered to
governors either for personal reward or towards that individual
prison's funds, or to the canteen supplier at that prison?
4: What checks are in place to ensure that prisoners have access to
fair and reasonable prices where Argos is the sole 'catalogue'
supplier?
Yours faithfully,
Paul W Sullivan
From: Data Access & Compliance Unit
National Offender Management Service
6 April 2009
Dear Mr Sullivan,
Please find attached your acknowledgement to your Freedom of
Information request.
Yours sincerely
Hannah Law
(sent on behalf of Darren Over)
Hannah Law
Data Access & Compliance Unit
Postal Point 1.41, Zone C
102 Petty France
London SW1H 9AJ
This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.
This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.
This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.
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From: Paul W Sullivan
6 May 2009
Dear Data Access & Compliance Unit,
My request for information Ref: FOI/58942/09/DO is now overdue.
Could you please give me an indication of the reason for the delay
and when I might expect a response.
Yours sincerely,
Paul W Sullivan
From: Data Access & Compliance Unit
National Offender Management Service
6 May 2009
This is an Auto Reply from the Data Access & Compliance Unit.
Thank you for your e-mail.
If your message was a request for information please be advised that your
request is being dealt with and you will receive a written ackowledgement
shortly.
Data Access & Compliance Unit
Information Directorate
Ministry of Justice
6th Floor, Zone B, Postal Point 6.23
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
Fax: 0203 334 2245
E-mail: [email address]
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From: Over, Darren (ARU)
National Offender Management Service
11 May 2009
Dear Mr Sullivan,
Thank you for your email dated 7th May 2009. In relation to your Freedom
of Information request of:
In most prisons the only 'approved supplier' is the Argos catalogue
1) Is there a formal agreement between NOMS, the Prison Service or the
Home Office with Argos or its holding company?
2) Does NOMS, the Prison Service, the Home Office or individual 'canteen'
supplier gain any financial reward from Argos or its parent company for
a) Access to prisoners
Or
b) For each order or total cost of orders placed?
3) If your answer is individual governors decide to use Argos as a
supplier Are there any incentives or rewards offered to governors either
for personal rewards or towards the individual's prison funds, or to the
canteen supplier at that prison?
4) What checks are in place to ensure that prisoners have access to fair
and reasonable prices where Argos is the sole 'catalogue' supplier?
I can inform you that we are considering the exemptions under the Freedom
of Information Act in relation to your Freedom of Information request, and
will inform you of the latest developments in relation to your request.
Regards
This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of the
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permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.
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intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in mind when
deciding whether to send material in response to this message by e-mail.
This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be
monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail
monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be read
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composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.
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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.
From: Paul W Sullivan
11 May 2009
Dear Over, Darren (ARU),
Thank you for your email. I am of the opinion that if everything is
straight and above board, then you have nothing to hide and so
should not be looking for loopholes to avoid answering my questions
which were carefully considered so ans not to impinge on any
commercial sensitivity. I think that when I publish your answers;
if you duck the questions, more deep questions will be raised about
the ethical questions around Argos and HMPS
Yours sincerely,
Paul W Sullivan
From: Over, Darren (ARU)
National Offender Management Service
29 May 2009
Dear Mr Sullivan,
Thank you for your email dated 3rd April 2009, please see the attached
letter in relation to your Freedom of Information request.
Regards
<<Paul Sullivan 58942.doc>>
This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.
Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message could be
intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in mind when
deciding whether to send material in response to this message by e-mail.
This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be
monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail
monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be read
at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not broken when
composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.
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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.
Paul W Sullivan left an annotation (29 May 2009)
There is more to this than meets the eye.
From: Paul W Sullivan
31 May 2009
Dear Over, Darren (ARU),
I have four further simple questions arising from your answers.
1: Are the purchases, for prisoners, made under the OGC Buying
Solutions Framework using a Government Procurement Card?
2: Although the Canteen Supplier (now DHL) administers orders are
these actually done on behalf of the Prison Service (ie. Is it the
Prison Service who are the actual purchasers?)?
3: Much greater discounts are available from Argos under the OGC
scheme. Does the Prison Service take advantage of these when
purchasing orders for prisoners?
4: Are prisoners informed of the 5% skim, and if not, why not?
Yours sincerely,
Paul W Sullivan
From: Over, Darren (ARU)
National Offender Management Service
1 June 2009
Dear Mr Sullivan,
In line with office procedures, this email is being forwarded onto the
Data Access and Compliance Unit email inbox, as this is a new Freedom of
Information request. You will receive notification of the new reference
number and case worker.
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Christopher Stacey LL.B, LL.M left an annotation ( 1 June 2009)
I would be very interested to find out their response to the further questions here. It is quite clear that the first response did not elicit the full facts of the situation. Hopefully the further FOI request will clarify the situation.
From: Data Access & Compliance Unit
National Offender Management Service
2 June 2009
<<59713 Sullivan.DOC>> Dear Mr Sullivan,
Please find attached your acknowledgement to your Freedom of Information
request.
Yours sincerely
Hannah Law
(sent on behalf of Darren Over)
Data Access & Compliance Unit
Postal Point 6.25, Zone B
102 Petty France
London SW1H 9AJ
This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.
This e-mail (and any attachment) is intended only for the attention of the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all copies and inform the sender by return e-mail.
This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. E-mail monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.
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Paul W Sullivan left an annotation (17 April 2011)
Finally after a lot of digging and researching further it was shown that HMP buy from Argos at reduced 'corporate rates' and resell to prisoners at higher rates. As far as 'canteen' items go HMPS bulk buy, and pay DHL to pack and deliver (using prisoners as cheap labour. Not sure if HMP pay the added VAT to C&Ex. They say this profit is to help pay for the admin involved but they also charge prisoners for ordering from Argos at many prisons, a practice which HMCIP say should cease.
Paul Sullivan
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Paul W Sullivan left an annotation ( 3 April 2009)
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