Department for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 4DR
Tel: 0300 330 3000
Web Site: www.gov.uk/dft
Mr I Hudson
By email
: request-678603-
Our Ref: F0018680
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
DATE: 13 August 2020
Dear Mr Hudson
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act Request
Thank you for your request for information which we received on 20 July 2020. The
Department does hold the information you are seeking.
The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly, in any case no later than 20
working days after receiving your request. However, when a qualified exemption applies to
the information, the public interest test needs to be considered. We are not required to
comply with your request until such time as is reasonable in the circumstances. We do, of
course, aim to make all decisions within 20 working days, including in cases where we
need to consider where the public interest lies in respect of a request for exempt
information. Your request, however, raises complex public interest considerations which
must be analysed before we can come to a decision on releasing the information.
The exemption that applies to the information you have requested is:
Section 24: Prejudice to national security
In your case we need to extend our response time limit by 20 working days in order to
assess whether the public interest is in withholding the information or disclosing it.
Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by 14 September 2020. If there is a need
for any further delay we will keep you informed.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the
reference number above in any future communications.
If you are unhappy with the way the Department has handled your request or with the
decisions made in relation to your request you may complain within two calendar months
of the date of this letter by writing to the Department’s FOI Advice Team at:
E-mail:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
Please send or copy any follow-up correspondence relating to this request to the FOI
Advice Team to help ensure that it receives prompt attention. Please also remember to
quote the reference number above in any future communications.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner
can be contacted at:
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/official-information-concerns-report/official-information-
concern/
Yours sincerely
Aviation Directorate