Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care www.gov.uk/dhsc
39 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0EU
Mr Lind/Path
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
17 June 2020
Dear Mr Lind/Path,
Freedom of Information Request Reference FOI-1234125
Thank you for your request dated 15 June, in which you asked the Department of Health and
Social Care (DHSC):
“Subject: Freedom of Information request - Ethnicity pay gap
Dear Department of Health and Social Care,
I request a copy of the NIHR Clinical Research Network ethnicity pay gap. If this is not available
why not?
For background the Department of Health and AOBs pledged to do this:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-pledges-action-to-eliminate-ethnicity-pay-gap”
Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Please note, that under section 8(1)(b) of the FOIA, a request for information must state the real
name of the applicant. It is the Information Commissioner's view that the intention of the legislation
was that an applicant should provide their real name, so that the request can be processed in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.
Upon review of your email of 15 June, it is apparent that you submitted your request to the
Department under two different names; James Lind and V. Path.
We believe that in this case at least one fictional name or pseudonym has been used. As your
request is not valid under FOIA, I am not obliged to process your request. I would like to take this
opportunity to recommend that any future FOI submissions adhere to Section 8 of the FOIA.
To enable us to meet your request, please resubmit your application including your real name.
This should normally include your first name or a title (e.g. Miss or Dr) as well as your surname.
We will consider your resubmitted request upon receipt as long as it meets the requirements stated
above. You will then receive a response from us within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.
Please be aware that we cannot guarantee at this stage that a clarified request will fall within the
FOIA cost limit, or that other exemptions will not apply.
If you are not satisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to appeal by asking for
an internal review. This should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter and sent to
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx, or to the address at the top of this letter.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication.
If you are not content with the outcome of your internal review, you may complain directly to the
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you
have already appealed our original response and received our internal review decision. You should
raise your concerns with the ICO within three months of your last meaningful contact with us.
The ICO can be contacted at:
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ Yours sincerely,
Lauren Der
Freedom of Information Officer
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx