Police Searches of Student Accommodation

Thank you for submitting a request for information from Lancaster University under the Freedom of Information Act.

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible, and this will be within a maximum of twenty working days from the working day following receipt.

We wil endeavour to provide information in the format requested, although there may be occassions where this is unfeasible.

If we do not hold the information you have requested, we will confirm this to you.

Should we require further clarification in order to respond to your request, or if the request is chargeable, we will contact you. If you have supplied an email address, contact will be via email, otherwise, this will be by letter.

We appreciate your patience while we deal with your request. If you have an enquiry regarding your request, email: [email address]

Your request ID is: 612. Please quote this in all enquiries.

The personal information you have supplied will be used only to process your request; some details will be retained for our records after the request has been answered. This information will not be passed on to other parties unrelated to the University unless we are required to do so by law, or where it would be necessary to answer the request in full (in which case we would seek your consent for any transfer).

Regards

Steve Miller
Freedom of Information Contact

Lancaster University
Lancaster LA1 4YW
United Kingdom
Telephone (01524) 65201
Fax (01524) 594725

Dear Mr Chillag

I write further to your Freedom of Information request id 612. In
response to your request:

1) The number of searches conducted where a search warrant was
obtained by police, and brief details regarding each incident
(date, purpose of search, where the search was conducted)

This information is not held by Lancaster University. You may wish to
submit an information request to Lancashire Constabulary who may hold
this information.

2) Details of any searches conducted without a warrant where
permission was given by Lancaster University staff without the
consent of the student(s) residing in the accommodation. Again I
would like the date, purpose of search and where the search was
conducted, but am especially interested in which member of staff
authorised the search and the position they hold within the
university.

We do not maintain a central record of all occasions when student
residences are entered without the permission of the resident. To
identify the information held would require a detailed search of the
records of each College Porter and each College Residences Office in
each of the nine university colleges. The time taken to assemble this
information would exceed the applicable statutory cost limit. As such
this information is exempt under section 12 of the Freedom of
Information Act.

The information provided in response to part 3 of your request does,
however, give details of the circumstances in which student residences
may be entered without the permission of the student.

3) A copy of any university policies, rules or guidelines related
to police searches on campus, if such policies exist

The University does not have any policies specifically relating to
police searches. However you may be interested in referring to:

* The Rules of the University at
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/gap/GAP2008.... In
particular you may wish to refer to:
o Section 1.2, 'Application of the law of the land to the
University and its students'
o Section 1.3, 'Precedence of University Rules over proceedings
under other codes'

* The 'Residences Access Policy' from 'the Manual of Guidance',
and the related 'Protocol for Entering Student Rooms'. Please find
attached a PDF document containing these.
<<foi-id-612.pdf>>
Regards
Claire Stevenson
Records Manager
Your request ID is: 612. Please quote this in all enquiries.

The University aims to comply fully with its obligations under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 and to ensure that the service it
provides for those wishing to gain access to information is helpful and
effective.
The personal information you have supplied will be used only to process
your request; some details will be retained for our records after the
request has been answered. This information will not be passed on to
other parties unrelated to the University unless we are required to do
so by law, or where it would be necessary to answer the request in full
(in which case we would seek your consent for any transfer).
Process for Making a Complaint
If you feel the service you have received does not meet our aims or your
expectations, please write to:
Paul Graves
Director of Governance and Planning
Lancaster University
Bailrigg
Lancaster
LA1 4YW

Copyright notice
The information supplied in response to your request is the copyright of
Lancaster University and/or a third party or parties, and has been
supplied for your personal use only. You may not sell, resell or
otherwise use any information provided without prior agreement from the
copyright holder.