University press comparative statistics

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would be grateful if you would furnish me with details of the (as
a pessimistic minimum) per capita expenses of your printing and
publishing arm ("CUP"). As a freelance journalist I am keen to
compare what I expect to be moderate expenses of Cambridge's
publishing vis a vis that at Oxford's Press. My thesis is that the
senior members of Oxford's publishing arm are less efficient than
their Cambridge equivalents. Clearly a broad brush assessment is
not sufficient. OUP are a larger organisation and so a simple
average means little - such is he curse of the average! Therefore,
I would be grateful to receive all the information that you can
give we within the constraints of the Freedom of Information Act
that refer to per diem and ex gratia costs of the Cambridge Press.
I will be contacting Oxford in the very near future with the
parallel request ("C" comes before "O"!), but, more importantly, I
would like to hear from Cambridge first, as I believe that you are
less profligate. I apologise for the late message, but I have
several deadlines and few hours for sleep!

Yours faithfully,

Gideon Roberts

Dear FOI,

I have looked at the document(www.cambridge.org/about/annualreport)
to which I was directed, and although the respondee stated that
there is an exemption based upon previous disclosure (i.e. the
information in the above document, regarding expenses), the annual
report to which I was directed is singularly lacking in any detail
about the expenses of any member (or even group) of the University
Press. If the University Press falls outside the remit of the
freedom of information powers, then so be it, but to be fobbed off
with a document that gives no information of any significance to
the request for expenses claims of senior members of Cambridge UP
(who I assume are those people listed under the hilariously
singular use of the word 'expenses' - and with no related figures)
is both insulting and intriguing. Does the University hold the FOI
act in such low regard? Perhaps it is not subject to it - in which
case I would be grateful for a statement to that effect.

Yours sincerely,

Gideon

Dear FOI,

Thank you for your kind response. In retrospect the tone of my
response to your first reply was not appropriate and I apologise
for any upset it caused you or any of your colleagues.

Returning to the matter in hand. I have taken the liberty of
quoting you:

"As I understand it, you are seeking information
about the travel and entertainment expenses incurred, in total, by
the Chief Executive and the Press
Board of CUP. May I assume that your request relates to the most
recent (2008-9) accounting year?"

What you suggest above would certainly provide me with the
information that I am seeking; this would be an excellent first
step in allowing me to compare the activities of senior executives
within the University Presses of Cambridge and Oxford.

Once again thank you for your considerate response response.

Yours sincerely,

Gideon