2 June 2014
FOI ref: IR251
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Dear Reading Community Welfare Rights Unit,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FOI) review request, which we received on
27 May 2014.
I am of a senior grade to the person who dealt with your request previously, and can
confirm that I have carried out an internal review. I am now in a position to respond to
you.
You have asked us:
I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work
and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'Thank you cards received by the Berkshire
Jobcentre'. We asked about the numbers of cards received by Berkshire Jobcentres,
but our request was refused on cost grounds, although you've said you receive many
hundreds a year (where did that figure come from?).
We dispute the conclusion on cost grounds, there aren't many jobcentres in Berkshire
and each of them should be able to say approximately how often they receive a thank
you card. It will not take one person 3 or more days to do that - which is why I confined
the request to a single county. About Psychologists, we asked in which jobcentres they
are employed but the response is silent on this question.
I am content that your original request was dealt with in accordance with DWP
guidelines for FoI requests.
In response to the specific questions you raise, DWP carried out a provisional check
across a selection of districts around the country; most reported that they have received
well over one hundred compliment or thank you letters this year. At an aggregate level,
this would amount to many thousands of compliments and thank you cards received
each year. However, the precise number of cards received is not collated centrally.
In terms of the cost limit, we are aware that on "rightsnet" it was proposed that multiple
requests should be made to the Department for different JCP areas to try to avoid the
cost limit. However, as per regulation 5(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Data
Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, aggregate requests such as
these exceed the cost threshold; this provision was included in the legislation to prevent
numerous individual requests on the same topic being used as a tactic to avoid the cost
threshold.
Printed on 100% recycled paper
In response to your query about specific locations, Work Psychologists work across
geographical areas, so do not work from just one jobcentre. This is why the total
number of Work Psychologists was provided in our original response instead.
I hope this is helpful; if you have any queries about this letter please contact me
quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
Central FoI Team
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to
the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner
cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s
Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF www.ico.gov.uk
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