Blackpool regeneration

BIS ref: 10/0706

Dear Mr Smith,

Thank you for your request for information which was received on 13 April.
Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official at the
Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to deal with.

Best wishes,
Hannah

Hannah Hodgson | Freedom of Information Adviser | Information Rights Unit
| Department for Business, Innovation & Skills | Bay 351, 66-74 Victoria
Street, London, SW1E 6SW | [1]www.bis.gov.uk

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is building a
dynamic and competitive UK economy by creating the conditions for business
success; promoting innovation, enterprise and science; and giving everyone
the skills and opportunities to succeed. To achieve this we will foster
world-class universities and promote an open global economy. BIS -
Investing in our future

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Dear Mr Smith

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request of 13 April 2009
relating to the Blackpool Regeneration Scheme.

You have asked for the following information:

` Could you please provide with any information you hold regarding
the recent announcement that Blackpool Council would buy Blackpool
Tower as part of a wider regeneration scheme. I am particularly
interested in any assessments of the value for money of any
support, including but not exclusively monetary support, given by
the North West Regional Development Agency, Central Departments, or
any other Government agency or arms length body to the scheme. This
should include any directions given to an accounting officer by
Ministers (and the request for such a direction to be made)'.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ('the Act'), you have the right
to:

o know whether we hold the information you require
o be provided with that information (subject to any exemptions under
the Act which may apply).

We are writing to advise you that the time limit for responding to your
request for information which the Department received needs to be
extended.

The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly and in any case no
later than 20 working days after receiving your request. However, when a
"qualified" exemption is engaged by the information and an accompanying
public interest test is necessary, the Act allows the time for response to
be longer, in which case a full response must be provided within such time
as is reasonable in all circumstances. In the case of your request, we
have not yet reached a decision on where the balance of the public
interest lies.

The specific exemption which applies in relation to your request is at
Section 36 (Prejudice to the effective conduct of public affairs) of the
Act. When this exemption applies, we are required to seek the reasonable
opinion of a `qualified person' which in this case is the appropriate
Minister.

In addition we also consider that some of the information may also be
exempt under Section 35 (1) (a) Formulation of Government Policy and
Section 43 (Commercial Interests).

When these exemptions apply, we have to consider whether the public
interest in favour of maintaining the exemption outweighs the public
interest in favour of releasing the information.

We hope to let you have a response by 10 June 2010.

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

Kind regards

Freedom of Information Team

Information Rights Unit | Department for Business, Innovation & Skills |
[BIS request email] | Bay 351, 66-74 Victoria Street, London, SW1E
6SW | 020 7215 4202 | [1]www.bis.gov.uk

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

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For the attention of Robert Smith
Re your FOI request dated 13 April 2010 on 'Blackpool regeneration' and
our email of 12 May 2010, please find attached our response to your
request.

<<FOI 10 0706 - Blackpool Tower.doc>>
Sue Blackwell |Senior Policy Advisor | Economic Development Directorate |
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills | 1 Victoria St, London, SW1H
0ET | [1]www.bis.gov.uk

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is building a
dynamic and competitive UK economy by creating the conditions for business
success; promoting innovation, enterprise and science; and giving everyone
the skills and opportunities to succeed. To achieve this we will foster
world-class universities and promote an open global economy. BIS -
Investing in our future

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show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

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1. http://www.bis.gov.uk/