BELB Fraud Inquiry

Dear Business Services Organisation (Northern Ireland),

From the CSA website at

http://www.centralservicesagency.com/dis...

I note that the Counter-Fraud Unit's double remit is to:-

Tackling fraudulent claims to exemption from Health Services
charges; and

Investigating cases of potential or suspected fraud involving
practitioners.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I am making a request to
establish what part of those remits allows/permits the CSA
Counter-Fraud Unit to undertake investigations for outside agencies
such as the Belfast Education and Library Board.

If there is no such remit under your corporate umbrella, would such
an investigation be deemed illegal? If you believe you have a remit
to investigate outside agencies, can you provide information under
legislation that permits such investigations to occur?

Yours faithfully,

Howard Ingram

Dear Business Services Organisation (Northern Ireland),

Further to my previous inquiry regarding a BELB 'Fraud' Inquiry in
which the CSA Counter Fraud Unit conducted that 'investigation', I
requested, under the terms of the FoI Act, what legislation covered
the Counter-Fraud Unit's involvement in that 'investigation',
bearing in mind that their double remit, as outlined on their web
pages, merely refers to investigating fraud within the Health
Service. I have asked for confirmation that the 'investigation' was
legal and that you outlined the legislation that covered the
Counter Fraud Unit's involvement.

I have not received acknowledgement of this request, and would like
to remind you that the date under which you are legally obliged to
provide this information is April 1st. This is not a new request
for information but, rather, a reminder of your obligations under
the FoI Act.

Yours faithfully,

Howard Ingram

Dear Business Services Organisation (Northern Ireland),

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Business Services
Organisation (Northern Ireland)'s handling of my FOI request 'BELB
Fraud Inquiry'.

I am afraid that your response does not answer the question I
asked. I asked for the legislation under which the CFU can conduct
'investigations' for outside agencies. I was referred to certain
'directives'. I would have assumed that it was a simple task to
therefore point me at them, via a hyperlink, or pass on a
downloadable copy, in which I could find specific details for
myself. In simply saying there are 'directives' you have not
provided evidence of legislation that gives such an 'investigation'
any legal authority and have not answered the question. My specific
FoI request therefore remains unanswered.

Furthermore, you have referenced actual legislation to which I made
no request, claiming that the CFU 'adheres to certain standards'. I
did not request information regarding your standards, and whether
or not the CFU adhere to the actual legislation you DO name does
not concern me. It rather seems like a feeble attempt to include
the name of specific legislation you CAN reference, hoping that I
will be 'blinded by science' and allow you to fail to name
legislation you CAN'T reference.

Which was the question I initially asked.

I shall now repeat the FoI request you have failed to answer in the
specified timeframe. Can you provide the name of the legislation
under which the CFU is permitted to undertake 'investigations' for
outside agencies?

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/be...

Yours faithfully,

Howard Ingram