Non-emergency phone number

Dear Mr Cherry

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Your request for information received 02 July 2009 concerning the
geographic telephone number for non-emergency calls to West Midlands
Police has now been considered under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act. We have interpreted your request as a request for the non
emergency switchboard number. Other direct dial numbers for specific
purposes are available or are made available to individuals (e.g. for a
victim to contact the officer in charge of the case).

Before I explain the decisions I have made in relation to your request, I
thought that it would be helpful to outline the parameters set out by the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) within which a request for
information can be answered.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 creates a statutory right of access to
information held by public authorities. A public authority in receipt of a
request must, if permitted, state under Section 1(a) of the Act, whether
it holds the requested information and, if held, then communicate that
information to the applicant under Section 1(b) of the Act.

The right of access to information is not without exception and is subject
to a number of exemptions which are designed to enable public authorities
to withhold information that is unsuitable for release. Importantly the
Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once
access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then
considered public information and must be communicated to any individual
should a request be received.

DECISION

We can confirm that some relevant information is held by West Midlands
Police. However, I am afraid that I am not required by statute to release
the information requested. This letter serves as a Refusal Notice under
Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act).

REASONS FOR DECISION

Section 17 of the Act provides:

(1) A public authority which, in relation to any request for
information, is to any extent relying on a claim that any provision in
part II relating to the duty to confirm or deny is relevant to the request
or on a claim that information is exempt information must, within the time
for complying with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice which-

(a) states the fact,

(b) specifies the exemption in question, and

(c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption
applies.

In accordance with the Act, this letter represents a Refusal Notice for
this particular request. The information is exempt by virtue of the
following exemptions.

Section 31 (1) (a) (b) (c)

Section 38 (1) (a) (b)

These exemptions are shown here:

http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/foi/p...

These exemptions are qualified and, as such, I am required to complete a
public interest test (PIT) on disclosure. Please find this PIT attached
(2606_pit.pdf).

You may also find useful a paper on the Police authority website which
discusses the issues surrounding the use of the non-emergency number:

http://www.west-midlands-pa.gov.uk/docum...

Your attention is drawn to your right to request a re-examination of your
case under West Midlands Police review procedure (attached). Please note
that such an appeal must be received within six months of the date of this
correspondence.

I am sorry that we cannot be of further help at this time.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Unit

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