Operation Maxim - breakdown of statistics of United Kingdom versus Foreign passports seized

The request was refused by Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Watching Them, Watching Us

Dear Sir or Madam,

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please disclose:

----------

A more detailed breakdown of the numbers of forged, faked or falsely applied for United Kingdom passports, compared with the numbers of Foreign passports, seized by the Operation Maxim specialist crime unit.

The current Operation Maxim web page

http://www.met.police.uk/op_maxim/

only shows totals for all passports seized.

April 2006 - April 2007:- 1006
April 2007 - April 2008:- 1911

A previous version of the web page listed a total of 394 Passports seized in 2004.

If you have figures to hand for the nationalities of the Foreign passports seized, and statistics for the year 2005, that would also be of interest, but my primary request is for the split between the numbers of United Kingdom and Foreign passports seized.

--------

Please provide the information, ideally by publishing it on your public world wide website, or alternatively by email.

Ideally this should *not* be in the form of a "copy and paste" locked Adobe .pdf file, or similar, attachment.

In the unlikely event that this information is not already
available in a standard electronic format, then please explain the reasons why, when you provide the information in another format.

If you are proposing to make a charge for providing the information requested, please provide full details in advance, together with an explanation of any proposed charge.

If you decide to withhold any of the information requested, you should clearly explain why you have done so in your response, by reference to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 legislation.

If your decision to withhold is based upon an evaluation of the Public Interest, for a Qualified Exemption, then you should clearly explain which public interest(s) you have considered, and why you have decided that the public interest in maintaining the Exemption(s) outweighs the public interest in releasing the information.

If you decide to conduct a Balance of Public Interest evaluation, you need to estimate any additional time which might be required, and to inform me of this in your Substantive Reply, within the mandatory statutory limit of 20 working days for you to respond to this Freedom of Information Act request.

Under Section 16 the Freedom of Information Act, you have a duty to provide help and advice, as to how this current request may need to be modified, if necessary.

I look forward to receiving the information requested as soon as possible, and in any event, within the statutory 20 working days from receipt of this email i.e. no later than Friday 20th February 2009

Yours faithfully,

Watching Them, Watching Us

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Watching Them Watching Us

Freedom of Information Request Reference No:2009010006013

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 26/01/2009.

DECISION

I have decided to refuse access to the information you have requested
under the provisions of Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(the Act).

REASON FOR DECISION

Section 8 of the Act provides:

(1) In this Act any reference to a "request for information" is a
reference to such a request which-

(a) is in writing,
(b) states the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence,
and
(c) describes the information requested.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), a request is to be
treated as made in writing where the text of the request-

(a) is transmitted by electronic means,
(b) is received in legible form, and
(c) is capable of being used for subsequent reference.

I am not required to process your request without information that can
later be referred to, as per Section 8 (1)(b). The information we require
is your name.

To enable us to meet your request could you please resubmit your
application in accordance with the above requirements. If for any reason
you are unable to do so, please contact me for assistance or seek
assistance from any other available source.

We will consider your resubmitted request upon receipt as long as it meets
the requirements stated above. You will receive the information requested
within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act,
subject to the information not being exempt.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

If you are dissatisfied with this response please read the attached paper
entitled Complaint Rights which explains how to make a complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me at the email address at the top of this letter, quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Emma Linney
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 40 working days.

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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Watching Them, Watching Us left an annotation ()

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Watching Them, Watching Us

FAO: Emma Linney

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

19th February 2009

Dear Sirs,

Internal Review request: Freedom of Information Request Reference No:2009010006013

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please conduct an Internal Review of your decision not to disclose the information I requested, namely a UK versus Foreign breakdown of some published statistical totals of forged or falsely obtained identity documents which have been seized under Operation Maxim.

For reference please see the WhatDoTheyKnow.com FOIA request portal website:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/op...

Yours sincerely,

Watching Them, Watching Us

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Watching Them Watching Us,

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2009030000509

I write in connection with your email dated 19 February 2009 requesting
that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) review its response to your
request for information relating to:

* A UK versus Foreign breakdown of some published statistical totals of
forged or falsely obtained identity documents which have been seized
under Operation Maxim. .

The review will be conducted in accordance to the MPS's complaints
procedure. The MPS endeavour to respond to your complaint by 17 April
2009.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please
contact David Edwards on telephone number 0207 161 3583 or at the address
at the top of the letter quoting the reference number above.

Thank you for your interest in the MPS.

Yours sincerely,

David Edwards, FOIA Team

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 40 working days.
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

show quoted sections

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Watching Them, Watching Us,

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2009030000509

Further to our letter of 11 March 2009, I am now able to provide a
response to your complaint dated 19 February 2009 concerning:

* FOIA Request 2009010006013.

DECISION

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has completed its review and has
decided to:

* Uphold the original decision

REASON FOR DECISION

Since receiving your complaint I have reviewed the decision and obtained
guidance from the Information Commissioner's (ICO) website. The ICO
guidance is available at the following link:

http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/l...

As detailed in Ms. Linney's response Section 8(1)(b) provides that a
request for information is considered as such if it states the name of the
applicant and an address for correspondence. Therefore if a request does
not state the name of the applicant it would not be considered a valid
request for the purposes of the Act.

Having obtained the ICO guidance detailed above I am aware that it is good
practice to consider requests where identity is not relevant and we are
content to disclose the information requested.

I established that your identity was not a relevant factor in this case
and I went on to investigate whether or not the MPS would be "content to
disclose the information requested". This involved liasing with
colleagues from our Specialist Crime Directorate (SCD) unit.

Following my enquiries I have established that the requested breakdown of
Operation Maxim details is not routinely published. As a result, enquiries
will have to be made in order to assess the MPS's obligations under
1(1)(a) and 1(1)(b).

In this instance I am satisfied that the MPS has interpreted the ICO
guidance appropriately and as such do not consider this to be a valid
request in accordance with Section 8.

Finally I am also aware, from the ICO guidance, that should we proceed
with your request and you disagree with our decision you could not submit
a valid Section 50 complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office.

Should you wish to do so, you can resubmit your request to the MPS.
Providing you meet the requirements under Section 8 of the Act a new
request would be considered and a response will be issued within the
statutory time frame of 20 working days.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

If you are dissatisfied with this response please read the attached paper
entitled Complaint Rights which explains how to contact the Information
Commissioner with your complaint.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please
contact my colleague Sarah Pallen on 0207 161 3604 or at the address at
the top of this letter, quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

David Edwards
FOIA Quality and Assurance Advisor
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 40 working days.
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

show quoted sections

Francis Irving left an annotation ()

Post by Spyblog referring to this request.

http://p10.hostingprod.com/@spyblog.org....