Details of Partnership with Pink News

The request was partially successful.

Dear Office for National Statistics,

The campaigning website Pink News has tweeted that they have a paid partnership with the ONS to promote the 2021 census. The census is an important public service and it is essential that the census, and the ONS more widely, are regarded as impartial and not taking sides on controversial matters.

Pink News explicitly promote a particular viewpoint on highly polarised issues such as gender self-identification. There is therefore a risk that forming a partnership with such an organisation could undermine the perceived impartiality of the census.

I would therefore like to know:
1) How much money has been paid to Pink News (either directly or via a 3rd party) in the period 2019 to present?
2) What assessment was done of the risks posed by such a partnership to the perceived impartiality of the ONS?

Yours faithfully,

Mx Williams

system@share.ons.gov.uk,

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FOI Team, Office for National Statistics

Our Reference: FOI/2021/1991

 

Dear Mx Williams

 

Thank you for your email requesting data pertaining to the money paid to a
particular organisation and risk assessment.

 

I am writing to confirm that the Office for National Statistics has now
completed its search for the information which you requested and the
response can be found here:

You asked:

I would like to know:

1) How much money has been paid to Pink News (either directly or via a 3rd
party) in the period 2019 to present?

2) What assessment was done of the risks posed by such a partnership to
the perceived impartiality of the ONS?

 

We said:

​Thank you for your request.

1)

The supplier appointed to conduct our campaigns activities was appointed
following a rigorous procurement exercise in accordance with the Public
Contract Regulations (2015). The prices paid to individual organisations
are in accordance with our contractual agreement and are exempt under
Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000, as disclosure
would prejudice the commercial interests of ONS and the supplier used for
these advertising services.

The use of this exemption is subject to the public interest test.

Whilst we recognise arguments in favour of transparency and accountability
regarding information pertaining to government public spending, we also
value the public interest in our own capability to negotiate and to
compete in a commercial environment.

Disclosure of the requested information would jeopardise our ability to
negotiate future contracts and procurements at an advantageous price for
us, which would be in the public interest as this will help to preserve
public funds.

Additionally, it is also in the public interest for public authorities to
be able to maintain the trust and confidence of the suppliers with which
we work. Disclosure of the cost of these adverts would negatively impact a
third party's ability to generate higher levels of income in the future,
as their ability to experience open and fair competition for their
advertising services would be compromised. This would therefore render
this supplier and other companies unwilling to work with us in the future.
We would therefore have a reduced pool of suppliers with which we could
negotiate. This damage to our reputation therefore directly and negatively
impacts our commercial interests.

We find that the public interest in withholding this information outweighs
the benefit of release.

2)

The supplier appointed to conduct our campaigns activities was appointed
following a rigorous procurement exercise in accordance with the Public
Contract Regulations (2015). As part of this process, supplier vetting is
conducted.

 

You have the right to have this response to your Freedom of Information
request reviewed internally by an internal review process and, if you
remain unhappy with the decision, by the Information Commissioner. If you
would like to have the decision reviewed please email the Freedom of
Information Team at ‘[ONS request email]’ or write to The FoI Team, Room
1100, Office for National Statistics, Segensworth Road, Titchfield PO15
5RR, and mark your correspondence "Internal Review".

If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Freedom of
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Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
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The Freedom of Information Team

Office for National Statistics

 

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Dear Office for National Statistics,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Office for National Statistics's handling of my FOI request 'Details of Partnership with Pink News'.

1.
I am not convinced that your arguments for withholding information about the amount paid to Pink News are legitimate. This was described by Pink News as a paid partnership. This was not a simple matter of procuring a service or an advertisement - this was a deeper arrangement.

It's hard to see how this partnership could be anything other than unique (certainly for Pink News). Pink News stood to gain significant kudos and potential influence from the partnership which would not apply to any other future procurement processes. The actual amount received would likely have no bearing on any other partnerships that Pink News might or might not enter into. However the amount paid does have a significant bearing on the perceived neutrality of the Census - a clear public interest.

2.
The answer mentions what appears to be supplier vetting as part of a standard process. But this is not what was asked for. The question is not whether the supplier is or isn't able to provide any particular service but whether the mere fact of entering into a commercial partnership with a campaigning organisation creates the risk of damaging the perceived impartiality of the ONS and the census. It would surely be essential that this risk is assessed even prior to a procurement process being initiated.

I would therefore like to see any correspondence (internal or external) or documentation relating to this decision including any assessment of the risk of reputation damage prior to the formal procurement process.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/d...

Yours faithfully,

Mx Williams

FOI Team, Office for National Statistics

Dear Mx Williams,

Thank you for your email.

We confirm your request for internal review and will respond in due course.

Kind regards,
 
The Freedom of Information Team | UK Statistics Authority | Awdurdod Ystadegau'r Deyrnas Unedig
@UKStatsAuth | [email address] | http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk

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Dear FOI Team,

As you know, I requested an internal review of your response on 2nd May.
I've still not heard anything and the response is now long overdue.

By law you have a duty to respond promptly.

Do you know when I'm likely to get a response?

Yours sincerely,

Mx Williams

FOI Team, Office for National Statistics

Dear Mx Williams,

Thank you for your email. My apologies for the delay we are experiencing with getting your internal review response to you.

Please be assured I am working on this and aim to have a response with you as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

The Freedom of Information Team | UK Statistics Authority | Awdurdod Ystadegau'r Deyrnas Unedig
@UKStatsAuth | [email address] | http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk

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FOI Team, Office for National Statistics

1 Attachment

Dear Mx Williams,

Thank you for your request for internal review.

Please accept our apologies for the delay in our response to you. Please see attached our final response.

Kind regards,
 
The Freedom of Information Team | UK Statistics Authority | Awdurdod Ystadegau'r Deyrnas Unedig
@UKStatsAuth | [email address] | http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk

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