Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to know if the Metropolitan Police Service have any
contracts with Northgate Information Solutions Plc and if so, the
nature of any such contract, the value of any such contracts and
the date upon which any such contracts were signed.

Yours faithfully,

Mr G Rydell

Dear Mr Rydell

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008080001786

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 06/08/2008. I note you seek
access to the following information:

I would like to know if the Metropolitan Police Service have any contracts
with Northgate Information Solutions Plc and if so, the nature of any such
contract, the value of any such contracts and the date upon which any such
contracts were signed.

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to
the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party. In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to achieve this
deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised
time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
the MPS.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact Shannon Aldridge on telephone number 020 7161 3527 quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Shannon Aldridge
Support Officer

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

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Dear Sir or Madam,

I note with some concern that you have not responded to my recent
FOI request within the twenty working days you are allowed by law.

Your lack of response is unacceptable and I require an explanation
of your conduct.

Yours sincerely,

Mr G V Rydell

Dear Mr Rydell

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008080001786

I write in connection with your request for information dated 06/08/2008
which was received by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 06/08/2008.
I note you seek access to the following information:

· I would like to know if the Metropolitan Police Service have any
contracts with Northgate Information Solutions Plc and if so, the nature
of any such contract, the value of any such contracts and the date upon
which any such contracts were signed.

I regret to inform you that the MPS have not been able to complete its
response to your request by the date originally stated.

I now advise you that the amended date for a response is 16/08/2008. I can
assure you that every effort will be made to ensure an appropriate
response will be made within this new timescale.

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

May I apologise for any inconvenience caused. Should you wish to discuss
this matter please write or contact Nick Morrison on telephone number 020
7091 5559 quoting the reference number above.

Thank you for your interest in the MPS.

Yours sincerely

Nick Morrison
Information Manager

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700Case reference: 2008080001786

Nicholas Morrison
Information Manager - Camden Borough Police
Tel: (020) 8733 6310
Fax: (020) 8733 6312

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Dear Mr Morrison,

You have stated that "I now advise you that the amended date for a
response is 16/08/2008. I can assure you that every effort will be
made to ensure an appropriate response will be made within this new
timescale."

As most people will be aware, the 16/08/2008 was twenty days ago.

Furthermore, if additional time is needed, a public authority are
still required to communicate this fact to the requester prior to
the expiration of the twenty days allowed by law. I would like to
know therefore, why I had to chase up your lack of response in the
first instance and why I was not properly advised that you felt you
needed additional time.

Kindly provide a date - preferably in the future - upon which a
response will be provided.

Yours sincerely,

Mr G V Rydell

Dear Mr Morrison,

Your continued lack of response is not appropriate.

Kindly address yourself to the question raised in my previous post.

Yours sincerely,

Mr G V Rydell

Dear Mr Rydell,

Once again, my apologises in the delay to this request. The reason for the delay is that, while the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Directorate of Resources (DoR) primarily deal with the management of contracts with 3rd party service providers, Purchase Orders for services can also be placed remotely against these contracts.

As such, in order for me to fully investigate any orders placed, I need to approach numerous units and individuals to ensure that I can supply you with a full and complete response (subject to any exemption).

While I appreciate we have exceeded the deadline, as stated in your recent email, I hope you can appreciate that when dealing with FOIA requests on behalf of an organisation the size of the MPS, there are instances when we need to take longer than the deadline to ensure we provide the applicant with the requested information.

Once again, I apologise for the delay in responding to your request, and endeavour to have a response to you as soon as possible.

Kind Regards,

Nick Morrison
Information Management Business Change
1st Floor West, Edinburgh House
Tel - 020 7091 (78)5559
Mob - 07917 517 258
Not Protectively Marked
P please only print this e-mail if absolutely necessary

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Dear Mr Morrison,

In your most recent reply, you have advised me that you will
respond "as soon as possible".

Whilst I accept to an extent your contention that due to the size
of the MPS, retrieving all the information may have necessitated
longer than the twenty days prescribed in law. I do not accept that
after a further six weeks you still cannot provide me with a
response or a date upon which a response will be issued.

Therefore I must ask that you advise me of a definitive date upon
which you will issue a response to my request which is now
significantly overdue.

Should I not hear from you with a definitive date by the 14th
October 2008, I will submit a complaint under Section 50 of the FOI
Act 2000 to the Information Commissioner.

Yours sincerely,

George Rydell

Dear Mr Rydell

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008080001786

Sincere apologies for the length of time taken to reply and inconvenience
this may have caused. However, in connection with your request for
information dated 06/08/2008 which was received by the Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) on 06/08/2008. I note you seek access to the following
information:

· I would like to know if the Metropolitan Police Service have any
contracts with Northgate Information Solutions Plc and if so, the nature
of any such contract, the value of any such contracts and the date upon
which any such contracts were signed.

Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within the MPS
to locate information relevant to your request. I can confirm that the
information you have requested is held by the MPS.

EXTENT OF SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
within the MPS Directorate of Information (DoI) and Directorate of
Resources (DoR)

RESULT OF SEARCHES

The searches located 10 records relevant to your request.

DECISION

I have today decided to disclose records numbered 1 to 10, subject to the
deletion of information pursuant to the provisions of section 43 of the
Freedom of Information 2000 (the Act)

REASONS FOR DECISION

Section 43 of the Act states:

Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 exempts information if
it constitutes a trade secret or information the disclosure of which
would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any
person, including those of the public authority holding the information.
43(1) Information is exempt information if it constitutes a trade secret.
43(2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act
would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any
person (including the public authority holding it).

43(3) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent
that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to,
prejudice the interests mentioned in subsection (2).

I have applied this exemption as the specific nature of the request, being
financial, could violate section 43(2), as highlighted in below Evidence
of Harm and Public Interest Test.

Evidence of Harm

In considering whether or not this information should be disclosed, I have
considered the potential HARM that could be caused by disclosure:

The major factor when considering any potential harm in the release of
financial information is any damage which can be caused to the working
relationship between the MPS and our service providers, and to the service
providers themselves. Should the information be released, this could
possibly lead to competitors to the service providers having full
knowledge of existing contracts, outside of contracts being out to tender,
which would put any competitors at an unfair advantage.

In addition to the above, due to the nature of support provided to the MPS
by the service provider, namely integral and secure systems development,
release of financial information in relation to this service, may suggest
to the general public that these amounts are the only amounts the MPS
spends on its integral and secure systems, which may lead to public
unrest.

Public Interest Test

Public interest considerations favouring disclosure

The main factor favouring disclosure is, in the spirit of the Act,
openness and transparency of the conduct of government agencies. There is
an interest in the financial activities of all government agencies, and
increased public concern of how money is spent by these agencies.

Public interest considerations favouring non-disclosure

While the above can be seen as strong case for disclosure, due to the
nature of these contracts, consideration needs to be given to the public
perception of these contracts, and to the commercial interests of the
service providers themselves. Release of this information could lead to
public unrest concerning the investment made by the MPS into integral and
secure systems, as the information relating to this request does not paint
a full picture of investment.

Balancing Test

After weighing up the competing interests I have determined that the
disclosure of the above information would not be in the public interest. I
consider that the benefit that would result from the information being
disclosed does not outweigh disclosing information relating to financial
contract information with the service provider.

Please find attached your copies of records number 1 to 10, summarised
into the attached document detailing nature of contracts and systems they
relate to.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact Nick Morrison on telephone number 020 7091 5559 quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Nick Morrison
Information Manager

In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service will not breach the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the
enclosed information will continue to be protected by law. Applications
for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the
attached information should be addressed to MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 1st Floor (Victoria Block), New Scotland Yard, Victoria, London,
SW1H 0BG.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700Case reference: 2008080001786

Nicholas Morrison
Information Manager - Camden Borough Police
Tel: (020) 8733 6310
Fax: (020) 8733 6312

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