Registrar’s Office
Queen’s University Belfast
Belfast
BT7 1NN
Northern Ireland
Tel +44 (0) 28 9097 2500
www.qub.ac.uk
Our ref: FOI-21-268
30 July 2021
Ms Lyndsay Eccleston
Email: lyndsay eccleston
<xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Dear Ms Eccleston
Further to your FOI request received on 18 July 2021 please find below the University’s response in
relation to your request.
The information requested:
This is a followup to FOI-21-254 “Please provide a copy of all research with Belfast Health +
Social Care Trust since 2011.”
FOI-21-268 - “I would like a copy of all research, published or not. This would include, but not
limited to, research that was planned to go ahead but didn't, research that was suspended
etc.”
Section 22 of the Act provides that information is exempt from disclosure if it is intended for future
publication by the University or any other person.
In addition section 22a provides an exemption for information obtained from a programme of research,
as long as: the programme is still under way; there is an intention to publish a report of the research;
and a disclosure of the information would or would be likely to prejudice the research programme, the
interests of participants in the programme, or a public authority holding or intending to publish a report
of the research. Within the context of this request research that is ongoing, suspended and could be
resumed, it is considered that premature disclosure of any research would impact negatively on the
programme.
Section 22, is a qualified exemption and the University must, therefore, consider where the balance of
the public interest lies. Whilst there is a strong public interest in University research with Belfast Health
and Social Care Trust, it is felt that the University should be given the appropriate space and time to
complete any ongoing or suspended research to enable proper analysis and scrutiny of research both
of which are in the public interest in order to ensure scientific rigour is maintained and that maximum
value is achieved from public investment. Therefore unpublished research information is not provided.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of part of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal
review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the
response to your original request and should be addressed to the Information Compliance Manager
c/o xxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xx.xx. Please remember to quote the reference number FOI-20-268 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:
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
Information Compliance Unit