Missing British Children

The request was refused by Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

I would like to know what the Government are doing to assist in the
search for Ben Needham , Genette Tate , Damien Nettles , Mark
Tildesly and other high profile cases who are ALL missing and have been for many years .

Yours faithfully,

Melizza Moore

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Ms Moore

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2013100002269
I write in connection with your request for information  which was
received by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 20/10/2013.  I note
you seek access to the following information:

* "I would like to know what the Government are doing to assist in the
search for Ben Needham , Genette Tate , Damien Nettles , Mark Tildesly
and other high profile cases who are ALL missing and have been for
many years."

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act).  You will receive a response within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act,
subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference
to a third party.  In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to
achieve this deadline.  If this is likely you will be informed and
given a revised time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your
right of complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me at the above address or my colleagues at [email address]
quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

S Bhaskaran
Customer Services Administration Team
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think
the decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision
of the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act)
regarding access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS
to have the decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days
from the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied
with the decision you may make application to the Information
Commissioner for a decision on whether the request for information has
been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information
Commissioner please visit their website at
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.  Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone:  01625 545 700

Total Policing is the Met's commitment to be on the streets and in your
communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are
here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.

 

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: Facebook.com/metpoliceuk
Twitter: @metpoliceuk

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Ms Moore

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2013100002269

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 20/10/2013. I note you seek
access to the following information:

"I would like to know what the Government are doing to assist in the
search for Ben Needham, Genette Tate, Damien Nettles, Mark Tildesly and
other high profile cases who are ALL missing and have been for many
years."

DECISION

I have decided to refuse access to the information you have requested
under the provisions of Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(the Act).

The Freedom of Information Act provides the legal right to request
recorded information. You have not requested recorded information held by
the MPS, but by the government. In accordance with Section 1(1)(a) of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000, the requested information cannot be
provided as it is not held by the MPS.

Furthermore, Section 84 of the Act states that 'information' means
'information recorded in any form'. Therefore, your request is not asking
for 'information' as defined in the Act.

Requests which are not for recorded information, but instead ask
questions, such as "please explain your policy on x" or "please explain
your decision to do y" are not requests for recorded information and
therefore should be treated as routine correspondence.

Section 16 - Advice and Assistance

Under Section 16 of the Act, public authorities are obliged to assist
applicants with their requests. The below response has been written in
order to assist you.

The MPS are not conducting any enquiries into the above named persons, but
would forward information to the lead force should any information be
disclosed to us.

We suggest that you either contact the Cabinet Office or the lead for each
of these missing people, none of which are the MPS;
Ben Needham - South Yorkshire Police
Genette Tate - Devon & Cornwall Police
Damien Nettles - Hampshire Constabulary
Mark Tildesly - Thames Valley Police

Alternatively, you may wish to contact the NCA (National Crime Agency)
Missing Persons Bureau at Bramshill.
Telephone: 0845 000 5481
Email: [email address]
Website: http://missingpersons.police.uk

Please note that you will need to word your request more specifically so
that it asks for recorded information to ensure that it is valid under the
Act. This is because the Freedom of Information Act 2000 creates a
statutory right of access to recorded information held by public
authorities as stated above.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact me on telephone number 0207 161 4291 quoting the reference
number above.

Yours sincerely

Deborah Solomon
Information Manager
Territorial Policing Command

Legal Annex

Section 8 of the Act provides:

(1) In this Act any reference to a "request for information" is a
reference to such a request which-

(a) is in writing,
(b) states the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence,
and
(c) describes the information requested.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), a request is to be treated as
made in writing where the text of the request-

(a) is transmitted by electronic means,
(b) is received in legible form, and
(c) is capable of being used for subsequent reference.
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
 Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone:  01625 545 700

Total Policing is the Met's commitment to be on the streets and in your
communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are
here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.

 

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: Facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk