Nid ydym yn gwybod a yw'r ymateb mwyaf diweddar i'r cais hwn yn cynnwys gwybodaeth neuai peidio - os chi ywJon Knowles mewngofnodwch a gadael i bawb wybod.

EPC certificates for London Boroughs from December 2016 to July 2018

We're waiting for Jon Knowles to read a recent response and update the status.

Dear Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government,

I am formally requesting under FoI laws access to EPCs filed between December 2016 and July 2018. I have been monitoring the updated publication of this important data and I can see no reason why they should be nearly two years out of date. I should have expected to be able to see this data on http://opendatacommunities.org prior to now. The fact that I cannot do so is hindering my important research into pressing housing issues within the capital.

I am interested in seeing data for ALL London Boroughs for the period. It will not be enough for you to claim that it is too expensive or difficult to provide me with this data. I am not asking or expecting you to do anything other than publish the data for the relevant period in the usual way.

If there is some especial reason which explains this omission then I would like to know what it is and then I can decide whether to appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner.

Yours faithfully,

Jon Knowles

James Young,

                            
Our reference: 3949822             Information request

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Thank you for your email. We are currently processing your request. If you
have any questions, please ask by return email. Please don’t change the
subject line when replying as this could delay your message getting to the
right person.
 
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
 
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

James Young,

                            
Our reference: 3949822             Information request

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Dear Mr Knowles,
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Thank you for contacting us on 30 October 2018 requesting:
 
I am formally requesting under FoI laws access to EPCs filed between
December 2016 and July 2018. I have been monitoring the updated
publication of this important data and I can see no reason why they should
be nearly two years out of date. I should have expected to be able to see
this data on http://opendatacommunities.org prior to now. The fact that I
cannot do so is hindering my important research into pressing housing
issues within the capital.

I am interested in seeing data for ALL London Boroughs for the period. It
will not be enough for you to claim that it is too expensive or difficult
to provide me with this data. I am not asking or expecting you to do
anything other than publish the data for the relevant period in the usual
way.

If there is some especial reason which explains this omission then I would
like to know what it is and then I can decide whether to appeal to the
Office of the Information Commissioner.
 
I am dealing with your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 and aim to send you a response by 27 November 2018.
 
If you have any questions, please ask by return email. Please leave the
subject line unchanged when replying, to make sure your email gets
straight to me.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
James Young
FOI Business Partner
 
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

Dear James Young,

In your response to my FoI of you stated that you aim to send a response by 27th November.
We have now reached that date and I have not heard from you.

Could you please update me on the status of this request?

Yours sincerely,

Jon Knowles

Despatch Box,

1 Atodiad

                            
Our reference: 3949822             Information request

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Dear Mr Knowles,
 
Thank you for your request for information concerning:
 
I am formally requesting under FoI laws access to EPCs filed between
December 2016 and July 2018. I have been monitoring the updated
publication of this important data and I can see no reason why they should
be nearly two years out of date. I should have expected to be able to see
this data on http://opendatacommunities.org prior to now. The fact that I
cannot do so is hindering my important research into pressing housing
issues within the capital.

I am interested in seeing data for ALL London Boroughs for the period. It
will not be enough for you to claim that it is too expensive or difficult
to provide me with this data. I am not asking or expecting you to do
anything other than publish the data for the relevant period in the usual
way.

If there is some especial reason which explains this omission then I would
like to know what it is and then I can decide whether to appeal to the
Office of the Information Commissioner..
 
Unfortunately I am unable to provide this information. I have attached my
formal response which sets out the reasons for this.
 
Knowledge and Information Access Team
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
 
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

Dear Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's handling of my FOI request 'EPC certificates for London Boroughs from December 2016 to July 2018'.

It is a pity, but no great surprise, that your department has once again chosen to stonewall in the face of a legitimate FoI. The fact that you are reluctant to update the EPC database is an interesting matter in itself.

As I understand it you confirm that you do indeed hold the data I seek and yet the reason you are refusing to release it is on grounds that: "The information requested falls within the exception to disclosure at regulation 12(5)(c) of the Environmental Information Regulations as its disclosure would adversely affect intellectual property rights."

Yet is is extremely unclear how this IP could be adversely affected given that by their own admission "Royal Mail Group Limited permits the use of ‘address data’ for specific purposes related to the energy performance of buildings" a list of which can be found here: https://epc.opendatacommunities.org/docs....

Indeed, your failure to update the EPC database could, under the very legislation you invoke, be viewed as a violation of "Part 2: Dissemination of environmental information: 4. (1) Subject to paragraph (3), a public authority shall in respect of environmental information that it holds(a) progressively make the information available to the public by electronic means which are easily accessible."

Given that I have clearly indicated that I am undertaking private research into housing issues within London and knowing that this research is clearly permissible and within the exemptions that Royal Mail itself admits within the bounds of fair use, e.g. Text and data mining for non-commercial research, reporting current events (see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-t...) I should expect you to correct your decision in my favour. Failure to do so will, once again, lead to an appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner.

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

Yours faithfully,

Jon Knowles

Despatch Box,

                            
Our reference: 3949822             Information request

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Dear Sir/Madam
 
Internal review under the 
Environmental Information Regulations 2004
 
Thank you for your request for a review received on 29 November 2018. I am
sorry that you are dissatisfied with our attempts to handle your request
under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004
 
I am considering your concerns and will aim to provide you with a response
by 31 December 2018.
 
Yours faithfully
 
 
MHCLG FOI Team
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

Despatch Box,

1 Atodiad

                            
Our reference: 3949822             Information request

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Dear Jon Knowles,
 
Please find attached the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government's internal review response with respect to your original
enquiry given reference 3949822. 
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Freedom of Information Team
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

FoI Requests,

Dear Mr Knowles

 

You will have seen the recent ICO Decision Notice with respect to your
information request. The information is available via the link below:

 

[1]https://epc.opendatacommunities.org/

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

MHCLG FOI Team

References

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Nid ydym yn gwybod a yw'r ymateb mwyaf diweddar i'r cais hwn yn cynnwys gwybodaeth neuai peidio - os chi ywJon Knowles mewngofnodwch a gadael i bawb wybod.