Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Central Freedom of Information Team
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
Our reference: VTR 252
Date: 3 February 2015
Dear Ms Baddams,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received on 20 January
2015. You asked:-
What qualifications do DWP job centre decision makers have ?
DWP confirms that it may hold the information that you seek. However, this
information is held in personnel files which will have to be accessed
individually in order to extract the information required (where it exists).
For this reason we estimate that the cost of complying with this request would
exceed the appropriate limit of £600. The appropriate limit has been specified
in regulations and for central Government it is set at £600. This represents the
estimated cost of one person spending 3.5 working days in determining
whether the Department holds the information, and locating, retrieving and
extracting the information. Under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act
the Department is not obliged to comply with your request and we will not be
processing this part of your request further.
We have considered, as required by S.16 of the FOI Act, how we might help
you to bring your request within the cost limit. However, because your request
is so specific we are unable to help you do this.
To be helpful we can confirm that there are no specific external qualifications
required for the decision making role. All Decision Makers go through a
training programme that supports the individual in their role. The Decision
Maker consolidates this learning with mentor support.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Central FoI Team
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to: DWP, Central FoI Team,
Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any review request should be submitted within two
months of the date of this letter.
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.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745