Community Work Placements hosts

The request was successful.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

I want the names of the work placement hosts for Community Work Placements during the last six months in the following contract package areas (CPA):

1 East of England: Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire; Cambridge and Suffolk; Essex; Norfolk

2 East Midlands: Nottinghamshire; Derbyshire; Lincolnshire and Rutland; Leicestershire and Northamptonshire

and then if within your fees for:

3 London West: Ealing; Hammersmith & Fulham; Brent; Harrow; Hillingdon; Hounslow; Richmond Upon Thames; Kingston Upon Thames; Wandsworth; Enfield; Kensington & Chelsea; Barnet; Camden; Westminster; Islington; Haringey

4 London East: Hackney; Newham; Tower Hamlets; Barking & Dagenham; Redbridge; Havering; Waltham Forest; City of London; Croydon; Bexley; Lambeth; Bromley; Greenwich; Lewisham; Southwark; Merton and Sutton

and then if within your fees for:

5 North East: Northumbria; South Tyne and Wear Valley; Tees Valley

6 North West 1: Cumbria and Lancashire; Merseyside; Halton

and then if within your fees for:

7 North West 2: Greater Manchester Central, Greater Manchester East and West, Cheshire and Warrington

8 Scotland : Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde; Edinburgh; Lothian and Borders; Forth Valley, Fife and Tayside; Glasgow; Highlands, Islands, Clyde Coast and Grampian

and then if within your fees for:

9 South East 1: Hampshire and Isle of Wight; Thames valley (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire)

10 South East 2: Kent; Surrey and Sussex

and then if within your fees for:

11 South West 1: Devon and Cornwall; Dorset and Somerset

12 South West 2: Gloucester, Wiltshire and Swindon; West of England

and then if within your fees for:

13 Wales: North and Mid Wales, South West Wales; South Wales Valleys; South East Wales

14 West Midlands 1: Birmingham and Solihull; Black Country

and then if within your fees for:

15 West Midlands 2: Coventry and Warwickshire; Staffordshire; The Marches

and then if within your fees for:

16 West Yorkshire

17 South Yorkshire

18 North East Yorkshire and The Humber

and then if within your fees for:

With due regard to:

Community Work Placements
Specification and Supporting Information
Work Placement
2.31 Please Note: Providers must ensure that placement and host data for each claimant and evidence to support weekly placement participation (including weekly attendance records endorsed by claimant and placement provider) is available on request.
https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finde...
https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finde...

and the contractual obligation CWP providers have to disclose the information they hold on your behalf under the Freedom of Information Act.

Yours faithfully,

Frank Zola

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FoI mailbox.
 
By the next working day your request will be forwarded to the relevant
information owner within the Department who will respond to you direct. 
 
If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally
expect a response within 20 working days.
 
Should you have any further queries in connection with this request do
please contact us.
 
For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.
 
[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...
 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.

You can expect a reply by 30 August 2016 unless I need to come back to you to clarify your request or the balance of the public interest test needs to be considered.

If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy 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 [DWP request email] 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. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

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

show quoted sections

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'Community Work Placements hosts'.

Your expected disclosures requested more than 20 days ago, due yesterday, has not arrived.

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

Yours faithfully,

Frank Zola

DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

Thank you for your Freedom of Information review request.

Please note that it is our internal target to answer reviews within 20 working days unless I need to come back to you to clarify your request, or the balance of the public interest test needs to be considered which we will keep you informed about.

If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy 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 [DWP request email] 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. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

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

show quoted sections

Dear DWP Strategy Freedom of Information,

As you have completely ignored my request of 1 August 2016 https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/outgoing_... and the follow up request for Internal Review of 31 August 2016 https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/outgoing_... I made a formal complaint to the Information Commissioner.

Yours sincerely,

Frank Zola

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

Complaint email sent to ICO

from: F.Zola <[redacted]>
to: casework <casework @ ico.org.uk>
date: Tue, Oct 4, 2016 at 3:55 PM
subject: FOI request and internal review request ignored by DWP

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

ICO gives DWP till "close of business " Fri 18 Nov to respond or will issue a decision notice.

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

ICO 'may' issue a decision notice. ..

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

This request mentioned in Mirror article.
Tories blew £100k of public money hiding list of firms that used jobseekers for unpaid work
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tor... referring to earlier FOI request https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/s... covered at https://mrfrankzola.wordpress.com/workfa...

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Frank Zola
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2016 17:00:00 +0000
Subject: Re: FS50649293 ICO complaint against the Department for Work and Pensions[Ref. FS50649293]
To: [redacted] @ ico.org.uk
Cc: Frank Zola

Dear ICO,

RE: FOI request: Community Work Placements hosts
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

You said: "If you do not receive any response within 10 working days, that is, by the close of business on 18 November 2016, please contact us and the Commissioner will consider progression to a decision notice"

This afternoon, I Frank Zola, after an FOI request to the DWP on 'Community Work Placements hosts' of 1 August 2016, have not heard from them by 5pm that they were prepared to disclose the information requested at once, or explain why my original request and request for internal review have been totally ignored. I therefore expect the ICO to issue a decision notice.

The Mirror has reported on the DWP's contempt, for FOI due process, on this and a related matter:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tor...

Thanks
Frank Zola

On 11/6/16, [redacted] @ico.org.uk <[redacted] @ico.org.uk> wrote:
> 6 November 2016

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

"---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [redacted] @ico.org.uk
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2016
Subject: FS50649293 ICO complaint against the Department for Work and Pensions[Ref. FS50649293]
To: [redacted]

20 November 2016

Case Reference Number FS50649293

Dear Mr Zola
Thank you for your email dated 18 November 2016 in which you confirm that you have not yet received a response to your request for information made on 1 August 2016.

The Commissioner will, therefore, proceed to decision notice. I would be grateful if you could inform me if you receive a response to your request in the meantime in order that an inaccurate decision notice is not issued."

DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Please accept our apologies for the delay and see the attached reply to your Freedom of Information request.
 

Yours sincerely

DWP Strategy FoI team

show quoted sections

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

Further to ICO intervention, here's today's "interim" DWP reply...

"I apologise for the delay in responding.

I can now confirm that the Department holds some of the information you seek. However it is
not straightforward to pull together because it is held on our behalf by 70 contracted providers.

We have commissioned the information you seek from the providers, which they are currently
retrieving. This information will then need collating. We therefore aim to provide you with a
substantive response by 15 December 2016. "

Dear DWP Strategy Freedom of Information,

Thanks for your "interim" non disclosure of information requested reply.

When you do respond more fully, please explain whether today's reply was a response to my request of 1 Aug 2016 or to my follow up complaint and request for internal review of 31 Aug 2016?

Your efforts, to collate information, covering 70 contractors is appreciated. I look forward to your reply and potential disclosures on or about December 15th 2016.

Yours sincerely,

Frank Zola

Dear DWP Strategy Freedom of Information,

You completely ignored my request, then ignored a request for internal review. Then after an ICO threat to issue  decision notice against your blatant denial to follow foi due process, you belatedly promised to send a "substantive" response by today December 15th. No such response has been provided and the DWP continue to act unlawfully. I have informed the ICO of your tardy ways.

Yours sincerely,

Frank Zola

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

Further complaint lodged with ICO, asking them to issue a decision notice or consider further action.

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

A copy of the DWP's 1/12/16 Decision Notice below:

Reference: FS50649293
1
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)
Decision notice
Date:
1 December 2016
Public Authority:
Department for Work and Pensions
Address:
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
Complainant:
Mr Frank Zola
Address:
[removed following request from user]
Decision (including any steps ordered)
1. The complainant requested information relating to Community Work
Placements. By the date of this notice, the Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) has yet to provide a substantive response to this
request. The Information Commissioner’s decision is that DWP has
breached section 10 of the FOIA in that it has failed to provide a
response to the request.
2. The Commissioner requires DWP to take the following steps to ensure
compliance with the legislation:
• Respond to the complainant’s request: Firstly, confirm or deny
that the requested information is held (or, if the public authority
decides to refuse to confirm or deny that any of the requested
information is held, then a refusal notice should be issued that
complies with the requirements of section 17 of the FOIA).
• Secondly, and subject to the above, if the information is held the
public authority must either disclose the requested information
or, if it wishes to withhold any information, issue a refusal notice
in relation to the information it wishes to withhold and disclose
the remainder.
Page 2
Reference: FS50649293
2
3. The public authority must take these steps within 35 calendar days of
the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the
Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court
pursuant to section 54 of the FOIA and may be dealt with as a contempt
of court.
Request and response
4. On 1 August 2016, the complainant contacted DWP via the What Do
They Know? website and requested information in the following terms:
“I want the names of the work placement hosts for Community Work
Placements during the last six months in the following contract package
areas (CPA):
1 East of England: Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire; Cambridge and
Suffolk; Essex; Norfolk
2 East Midlands: Nottinghamshire; Derbyshire; Lincolnshire and
Rutland; Leicestershire and Northamptonshire
and then if within your fees for:
3 London West: Ealing; Hammersmith & Fulham; Brent; Harrow;
Hillingdon; Hounslow; Richmond Upon Thames; Kingston Upon Thames;
Wandsworth; Enfield; Kensington & Chelsea; Barnet; Camden;
Westminster; Islington; Haringey
4 London East: Hackney; Newham; Tower Hamlets; Barking &
Dagenham; Redbridge; Havering; Waltham Forest; City of London;
Croydon; Bexley; Lambeth; Bromley; Greenwich; Lewisham;
Southwark; Merton and Sutton
and then if within your fees for:
5 North East: Northumbria; South Tyne and Wear Valley; Tees Valley
6 North West 1: Cumbria and Lancashire; Merseyside; Halton
and then if within your fees for:
7 North West 2: Greater Manchester Central, Greater Manchester East
and West, Cheshire and Warrington
8 Scotland : Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde; Edinburgh;
Lothian and Borders; Forth Valley, Fife and Tayside; Glasgow;
Highlands, Islands, Clyde Coast and Grampian
Page 3
Reference: FS50649293
3
and then if within your fees for:
9 South East 1: Hampshire and Isle of Wight; Thames valley (Berkshire,
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire)
10 South East 2: Kent; Surrey and Sussex
and then if within your fees for:
11 South West 1: Devon and Cornwall; Dorset and Somerset
12 South West 2: Gloucester, Wiltshire and Swindon; West of England
and then if within your fees for:
13 Wales: North and Mid Wales, South West Wales; South Wales
Valleys; South East Wales
14 West Midlands 1: Birmingham and Solihull; Black Country
and then if within your fees for:
15 West Midlands 2: Coventry and Warwickshire; Staffordshire; The
Marches
and then if within your fees for:
16 West Yorkshire
17 South Yorkshire
18 North East Yorkshire and The Humber
and then if within your fees for:
With due regard to:
Community Work Placements
Specification and Supporting Information
Work Placement
2.31 Please Note: Providers must ensure that placement and host data
for each claimant and evidence to support weekly placement
participation (including weekly attendance records endorsed by claimant
and placement provider) is available on request.
https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finde...
https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finde...
Page 4
Reference: FS50649293
4
and the contractual obligation CWP providers have to disclose the
information they hold on your behalf under the Freedom of Information
Act.”
5. DWP acknowledged receipt of the request on 1 August 2016. On 10
August 2016, DWP contacted the complainant to inform him that he
could expect a response by 30 August 2016.
6. On 31 August 2016, the complainant requested an internal review of the
handling of his request for information as he had not yet received a
substantive response. DWP acknowledged receipt of this request for
internal review on 13 September 2016.
Scope of the case
7. The complainant contacted the Commissioner on 4 October 2016 to
complain about the way his request for information had been handled.
He specifically asked the Commissioner to consider the fact that no
substantive response had been provided.
8. The Commissioner contacted DWP on 6 November 2016 and asked it to
issue a response within 10 working days. The Commissioner has not
received a response to her contact and no substantive response to the
request has been provided by the date of this notice.
Reasons for decision
9. Section 1(1) of the FOIA states that:
“Any person making a request to a public authority is entitled –
(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request, and
(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him”
10. Section 10(1) of the FOIA states that a public authority must comply
with section 1(1) promptly and in any event not later than the twentieth
working day following the date of receipt.
11. From the information provided to the Commissioner, it is evident that
DWP did not respond to the complainant within the statutory timeframe
in respect of this request. Despite the Commissioner’s intervention, DWP
has failed to provide a substantive response to the complainant’s
request.
Page 5
Reference: FS50649293
5
12. Accordingly, the Commissioner’s decision is that DWP did not handle the
request for information in accordance with the FOIA. It breached section
10(1) of the FOIA by failing to provide a substantive response to the
request within the statutory time frame of 20 working days.
Page 6
Reference: FS50649293
6
Right of appeal
13. Either party has the right to appeal against this decision notice to the
First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights). Information about the appeals
process may be obtained from:
First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights)
GRC & GRP Tribunals
PO Box 9300
LEICESTER
LE1 8DJ
Tel: 0300 1234504
Fax: 0870 739 5836
Email: GRC@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.justice.gov.uk/tribunals/general-reg...
chamber
14. If you wish to appeal against a decision notice, you can obtain
information on how to appeal along with the relevant forms from the
Information Tribunal website.
15. Any Notice of Appeal should be served on the Tribunal within 28
(calendar) days of the date on which this decision notice is sent.
Signed ………………………………………………
Sarah O’Cathain
Senior Case Officer
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

Email sent to ICO for details of any follow up action against the DWP's delays.

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

ICO complaint against DWP - non-compliance with decision notice[Ref. FS50649293]

"I have written to DWP and asked it to provide the Commissioner with evidence of its compliance with the decision notice within 7 days of the date of the letter, that is, by the close of business on 16 January 2017.

If DWP does not provide the Commissioner with evidence that it has provided you with a substantive response by this date, this case will be passed to our enforcement solicitors who will consider what further action is appropriate in this case. This may include commencement of proceedings for contempt of court, however, this is at the discretion of the enforcement solicitors."

DWP Strategy Freedom of Information, Department for Work and Pensions

2 Attachments

Please accept our apologies for the delay and see the attached reply to your Freedom of Information request.
 

Yours sincerely
 
DWP Strategy FoI Team

show quoted sections

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

Comments on this disclosure of 1700+ workfare employers
https://mrfrankzola.wordpress.com/2017/0...