Common Purpose

Dear Mr McCloy

Thank you for your email requesting information regarding Common Purpose.
Your request was received on 4 February 2010 and will be dealt with under
the terms of the above legislation.
The leaflet attached below tells you about the legislation and the
procedures which will be followed in handling your request.
In some circumstances a fee may be payable but if that is the case, you
will be advised of the likely charges before proceeding.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Regards
Louise Donaldson
Business Support Team
Department of Education

show quoted sections

Dear Mr McCloy

I refer to your recent email request for information to the Department of
Education, about 'Common Purpose'

On behalf of other NICS Departments who have also received a similar
request, I have been asked to seek clarification and offer advice on some
parts of your request. These are as follows:

1) Departments would not hold information relating to MLAs attendance
apart from possibly their Ministers (if attended through the Department),
however this information may be available from the Northen Ireland
Assembly:

2) Departments will be able to provide the total number of staff who
attended courses, but the disclosure of names may be considered exempt as
personal information.

3) Where there has been attendance at training, Departments should be able
to provide the total cost including breakdown of costs, if this is held;

4) In relation to all of the above, can you please state the period you
wish the request to cover, bearing in mind that fees may apply if time
limits are exceeded;

5) Departments would not provide copies of invoices / receipts. The Act
allows access to information, not documents. Departments would intend
giving an overall cost - is this sufficient?

I wish to advise you it will only be possible to progress your request
further, when a response is received.

Regards
Willie Elliott
Business Support Team

show quoted sections

Dear Mr McCloy

I wish to confirm that the Department has now completed its search for the
information you requested, in addition to clarification received from you
on 16 February 2010.

Details are as follows:

Leadership Training

2008 - 4 Managers participated in a leadership development training
programme referred to as 'The KNOW Programme'. The cost to each delegate
was £4964.38.

Conference

· 8 June 2009 - £329.95 * this payment represents conference
fees for 3 delegates, paid to Common Purpose (Ireland) Ltd.

The names of staff who participated in the above training and Conference,
have been withheld under Section 40 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act,
as this is deemed personal data which to disclose could breach the first
principle of the Data Protection Act, namely fair and lawful processing.

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

If you are unhappy with the level of service you have received in relation
to your request, you may ask for an internal review within two calendar
months of the date of this email You may write to Veronica Bintley,
Departmental Information Manager, Rathgael House, Balloo Rd, Bangor, BT19
7PR, or send an email to foi[1]@deni.gov.uk, if you wish to make a
complaint.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a review
of our original decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted
at:

Information Commissioner*s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Willie Elliott

Department of Education

Information Management & Services Branch

Rathgael House

43 Balloo Road

Balloo

BANGOR

BT19 7PR

Tel: 02891 279289

Fax: 02891 279100

Email: [email address]

show quoted sections