Background to Scientology Rates Relief letter to City of London

Dear Mr William Thackeray,

I am writing in response to your recent email request of 7th October 2010 for information about the background to Communities and Local Government’s reply to a letter from the City of London concerning charitable rate relief.

This Department does hold some of the information you are seeking and we are dealing with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly, and in any event no later than 20 working days after receiving your request. However, when a qualified exemption applies to the information and the public interest test needs to be considered, we are permitted to extend the time for response by a reasonable period. We do, of course, aim to make all decisions within 20 working days, including in cases where we need to consider where the public interest lies in respect of a request for exempt information. Your request, however, raises complex public interest considerations which must be analysed before we can come to a decision on releasing the information.

The specific qualified exemptions we are considering in relation to your request are: under sections 35 and 42, of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, that is formulation of Government policy and legal professional privilege. In your case we need to extend our response time limit by 20 working days to give us time to assess whether the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it

Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by 3rd December 2010. If there is a need for any further extension of time we will keep you informed.

Communities and Local Government as an organisation aims to be as helpful as possible in the way it deals with requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. If, however, you are not satisfied with the way in which your request has been handled or the outcome, you may request an internal review within two calendar months of the date of this letter. Information about the Department's review procedures and how to apply for an internal review of your case is contained on the Department's website at http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/.... This also explains your right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision in the event that you remain dissatisfied following the Department’s review.

Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted this Department’s Internal Review procedure. The Information Commissioner‘s address and contact details are set out in the above website.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely,

E J Stanislas
Communities and Local Government

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Dear Mr Thackeray

Please see the attached letter from Mr David McDonald in reply to your Freedom of Information request dated 7th October 2010.

With regards.

E J Stanislas
Communities and Local Government

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Dear Mr Thackeray

REQUEST FOR INTERNAL REVIEW

Thank you for your email of 6th December 2010, received 7th December 2010,
in which you seek a review of the response provided by Communities and
Local Government to your request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act.

The review will be considered Aunder the Department's internal review
procedures. A full re-evaluation of your request will be undertaken.

I will today allocate this request to an Internal Review Officer and you
should receive a reply by 14th January 2011.

Yours sincerely

FOI Advice Team
Knowledge Management Division
Zone 2/A3, Eland House
0303 444 3973

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Dear Mr Thackeray,

Please find attached a response to your request for an Internal Review of
your FOI request.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Regards,

Claire Hunter.

<<110106 FOI Review Response - W Thackeray.doc>>

Claire Hunter
Corporate Finance Advice
Zone J9, Floor 2
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London SW1E 5DU

ex. 41891
tel: 030 344 41891

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