Track this request
Act on what you've learnt
Similar requests
Some information sent by UK Border Agency to James Elsdon-Baker on 13 January 2010.
Some information sent by Leeds City Council to Cassidy, J on 17 March 2009.
All information sent by British Broadcasting Corporation to N.Smith on 25 November 2008.
Contracst for arranging failed asylum seeker deportation flights
A Freedom of Information request to Home Office by David Williams
The request was rejected by Home Office.
David Williams
1 November 2008
Dear Sir or Madam,
I refer you to the following excerpt from an article in the
Independent on 8th October 2007:
"...a Home Office spokesman said the Borders and Immigration Agency
only contracted with airlines willing to operate removal flights.
He added: 'The agency uses agents/brokers to arrange both charter
and scheduled removals. Airline captains have the right to refuse
carriage of a passenger and will do so if they feel appropriate for
security or commercial reasons.'"
I would be grateful if you could answer the following related
questions:
1. Who are the agents/brokers referred to above?
2. What is the financial value of the contracts with these
agents/brokers?
Yours faithfully,
David Williams
Freedom Of Information Team ( IND )
Home Office
5 November 2008
Dear David Williams
Thank you for your recent e-mail. Your request is being dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and we will respond
shortly.
Kind Regards
UKBA
FOI Team
show quoted sections
Stratton Sid
Home Office
1 December 2008
Dear Mr Williams
Please find attached the response to your FOI request dated 1 November
2008.
Regards
Sid
<<FOI 10532 flight brokers.doc>>
Sid Stratton
United Kingdom Border Agency
Briefing and Correspondence Team
Immigration Group
8th Floor, Green Park House, Wellesley Rd, CR0 2AJ
Tel: 020 8760 2031
Fax:020 8760 2929
show quoted sections
Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
Heather Brooke left an annotation (6 March 2009)
The argument put forward by the Home office has been routinely rejected in Information Tribunal rulings so don't be discouraged. There is a clear public interest in disclosing the amount of public funds spent by public bodies contracting out their services.
Also, you may want to add in all letters for such contractual information the following clause:
Many public authorities release their contracts with private vendors in line with the Freedom of Information Act. The exemption for commercial interest under the Act (section 43) is a qualified exemption, which means information can only be withheld if it is in the public’s interest. The public have an interest in knowing the terms of contracts awarded by public authorities, whether or not public money changes hands immediately.
If you are relying on section 41 (the exemption for legal breach of confidence) then I would like to know the following:
· When these confidentiality agreements were agreed
· All correspondence and email in which these confidentiality agreements were discussed.
· The precise wording of the confidentiality agreements
Hope that helps.
Heather Brooke
www.yrtk.org
Link to this