Freedom of Information Team
xxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
9 Downing Street
www.gov.uk
SW1A 2AG
Frank Church
Via: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Our refs: DEX001554, DEX001573,
DEX001574, DEX001575, DEX001576,
DEX001577, DEX001589
20 December 2018
Dear Frank Church,
I refer to your requests received from 23 November 2018 to 02 December 2018, where you asked:
DEX001554: I wish to see full copies of the 'GOOL' (Government Owned or Operated
Logistics) plan to ensure supplies of goods and medicines continue in the event of an
'no-deal' Brexit.
DEX001573: I wish to see full copies of any and all sectoral studies regarding Brexit.
DEX001574: Please supply me with full copies of any and all meetings with Legatum
Institute and the Department for Exiting the European Union (DEXEU).
DEX001575: I wish to see full copies of any and all meetings held with SCL
Group,Cambridge analytica and AggregateIQ.
DEX001576: I wish to see the department's senior staff structure chart as of 03/12/2018
(including: full names, job titles, rates of pay please include temporary/interim staff and
contractors also). If the this document does not currently exist please create it.
DEX001577: I wish to see the total number of compromise agreements or 'gagging
orders' made by the Department from 01/01/2012 through to 03/02/2018 and the total
amount spent for each year. For example: Year - Number of agreements/orders - Total
spend (£).
DEX001589: I wish to see a full copy of the document titled 'Brexit Communications Grid
Summary'.
I can confirm that the Department has considered your requests for information,
however, we consider the requests to be vexatious under Section 14(1) of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’).
Section 14(1) of the Act states a public authority is not obliged to comply with a
request for information where the amount of time required to review and prepare
the information for disclosure would impose a grossly oppressive burden on the
organisation.
In this instance, we believe Section 14(1) is engaged where the number of requests
submitted within a 60 day period places a disproportionate level of disruption on the
Department and its public resources to collate, review the information within scope, and
consider for disclosure. This burden on the Department’s time and resources would, in
turn, unreasonably deflect our time and resources from other valid requests and
Departmental work. The necessity to protect a public authority’s resources and to ensure
the purpose and benefit of the Act is not disproportionately abused was recognised in
Information Commissioner vs Devon County Council & Dransfield [2012] and we believe
these points are applicable in this case.
Overall, we have determined these requests engage Section 14(1) and will close these
requests. We suggest that you consider which one of your requests you would like to
submit for consideration and should you re-submit a request, we will recognise the new
request and respond in accordance with the Act.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request or wish
to request an internal review, you should write to xxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx or:
Freedom of Information Team (internal review)
Department for Exiting the European Union
9 Downing Street
SW1A 2AG
You should note that DExEU will not normally accept an application for internal review if it
is received more than two months after the date that the reply was issued.
If you are not content with the outcome of your internal review, you may apply directly to
the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the Commissioner cannot make
a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by DExEU. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team, DExEU.
