Death data for vaccinated population

The request was refused by UK Health Security Agency.

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

Please can you provide the data you use to remove dead vaccinated people from the NIMS database.
Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after death since December 2020:

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death

Yours faithfully,

Dr Clare Craig

Information Rights, UK Health Security Agency

1 Attachment

Dear Clare Craig,

Thank you for your request which will be handled by the Information Rights
Team at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). We acknowledge receipt of
your email and request for information, which will be treated as a request
for information under statutory access legislation. UKHSA has taken
responsibility for statutory access requests addressed to Public Health
England and NHS Test and Trace Services.

 

Please note that requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the
Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) will receive a response
within 20 working days from the day following the date of receipt of your
request.

 

If the request is for your personal data, your request will be handled as
a data subject access request (SAR) under Article 15 of the General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR), then we will respond within one month of the
receipt of the request.

 

We will aim to address all requests promptly and within the required
response timeframes. However, when we are unable to meet the response
timeframe we will keep requesters updated on a revised expected timescale
for a response to their request.

Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][UKHSA request email] 
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Clare Craig <[FOI #945220 email]>
Sent: 02 February 2023 16:05
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Death data for vaccinated
population
 
[You don't often get email from
[FOI #945220 email]. Learn why this is important at
[3]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

Please can you provide the data you use to remove dead vaccinated people
from the NIMS database.
Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020:

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death

Yours faithfully,

Dr Clare Craig

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #945220 email]

Is [UKHSA request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to UK Health Security Agency? If so, please contact
us using this form:
[4]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[5]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[6]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
[7]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

show quoted sections

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

To clarify, this request is only for adults over the age of 20 and the age information can be given in the categories used in the NIMS dataset to ensure anonymity.

Yours faithfully,

Clare Craig

Information Rights, UK Health Security Agency

2 Attachments

Dear Clare Craig,

Please find attached the UK Health Security Agency's response to your
request. 

Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][UKHSA request email] 
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Information Rights <[email address]>
Sent: 03 February 2023 13:52
To: Clare Craig <[FOI #945220 email]>
Cc: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Case ref 1303
 

Dear Clare Craig,

Thank you for your request which will be handled by the Information Rights
Team at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). We acknowledge receipt of
your email and request for information, which will be treated as a request
for information under statutory access legislation. UKHSA has taken
responsibility for statutory access requests addressed to Public Health
England and NHS Test and Trace Services.

 

Please note that requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the
Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) will receive a response
within 20 working days from the day following the date of receipt of your
request.

 

If the request is for your personal data, your request will be handled as
a data subject access request (SAR) under Article 15 of the General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR), then we will respond within one month of the
receipt of the request.

 

We will aim to address all requests promptly and within the required
response timeframes. However, when we are unable to meet the response
timeframe we will keep requesters updated on a revised expected timescale
for a response to their request.

Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[3][UKHSA request email] 
[4]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Clare Craig <[FOI #945220 email]>
Sent: 02 February 2023 16:05
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Death data for vaccinated
population
 
[You don't often get email from
[FOI #945220 email]. Learn why this is important at
[5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

Please can you provide the data you use to remove dead vaccinated people
from the NIMS database.
Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020:

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death

Yours faithfully,

Dr Clare Craig

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #945220 email]

Is [UKHSA request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to UK Health Security Agency? If so, please contact
us using this form:
[6]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[7]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[8]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
[9]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

show quoted sections

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

I made the following request:

"Please can you provide the data you use to remove dead vaccinated people
from the NIMS database.
Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020:

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death"

You replied that you did not remove dead people from the database but used only living people in the calculations. Either way you know who has died.

Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020 (fr adults over 20 and using age brackets used in public data releases):

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death

Yours sincerely,

Clare Craig

Information Rights, UK Health Security Agency

1 Attachment

Dear Clare Craig,

 

We acknowledge receipt of your email, which will be treated as a request
for an internal review, following your request for information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000.

 

Please note we aim to complete your internal review within 20 working days
from the day following the date of receipt of your request. We will notify
you if we anticipate the internal review taking longer than 20 working
days.    

Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][UKHSA request email] 
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Clare Craig <[FOI #945220 email]>
Sent: 05 April 2023 14:18
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Death data
for vaccinated population
 
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

I made the following request:

"Please can you provide the data you use to remove dead vaccinated people
from the NIMS database.
Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020:

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death"

You replied that you did not remove dead people from the database but used
only living people in the calculations. Either way you know who has died.

Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020 (fr adults over 20 and using age brackets used
in public data releases):

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death

Yours sincerely,

Clare Craig

show quoted sections

Information Rights, UK Health Security Agency

2 Attachments

Dear Clare Craig,
Please find attached UKHSA's response to your request.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][UKHSA request email] 
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Clare Craig <[FOI #945220 email]>
Sent: 05 April 2023 14:18
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Death data
for vaccinated population
 
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

I made the following request:

"Please can you provide the data you use to remove dead vaccinated people
from the NIMS database.
Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020:

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death"

You replied that you did not remove dead people from the database but used
only living people in the calculations. Either way you know who has died.

Please provide the following data for people who have been removed after
death since December 2020 (fr adults over 20 and using age brackets used
in public data releases):

1. Age at first dose
2. Date of each dose of covid vaccine that they were given
3. Date of death

Yours sincerely,

Clare Craig

show quoted sections

Dear Information Rights,

I repeat my request.
In order to make the dates of death anonymous please do the following. For each data of death add a value to the date randomly selected from this range (-3, -2, -1, +1, 2, 3). It will then be impossible to determine who the record relates to.

You have said you hold this data so please supply it in this format.

Yours sincerely,

Clare Craig

Information Rights, UK Health Security Agency

2 Attachments

Dear Clare Craig.

It may be helpful if I explain that the Information Commissioner's Office
(ICO) advises that organisations do not have to create new information in
response to a request. The FOI Act only applies to any recorded
information which an organisation already holds at the time of a request.

Further information is available at : [1]Request handling, Freedom of
Information – Frequently Asked Questions | ICO (see When is information
considered ‘held’ under FOIA?)

Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[2][UKHSA request email] 
[3]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Clare Craig <[FOI #945220 email]>
Sent: 21 May 2023 16:33
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Death data
for vaccinated population
 
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.

Dear Information Rights,

I repeat my request.
In order to make the dates of death anonymous please do the following. For
each data of death add a value to the date randomly selected from this
range (-3, -2, -1, +1, 2, 3). It will then be impossible to determine who
the record relates to.

You have said you hold this data so please supply it in this format.

Yours sincerely,

Clare Craig

show quoted sections

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of UK Health Security Agency's handling of my FOI request 'Death data for vaccinated population'.

I was denied data based on it being identifiable. When I showed how easily it could be deidentified I was denied it on the basis that that was "creating information" that is not already held. It is not a good look for UKHSA to be hiding this data. Please can you review why it has not been released in a deidentified manner.

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

Yours faithfully,

Clare Craig

Information Rights, UK Health Security Agency

4 Attachments

Dear Clare Craig,
Thank you for your email of 11 June 2023.
Re: I am writing to request an internal review of UK Health Security
Agency's handling of my FOI request 'Death data for vaccinated
population'.
UKHSA has already conducted an internal review (our ref: 05/04/23/JS/014
attached) into your original request of 2 February 2023 (our
ref: 02/02/23/IF/1303 attached).
As explained in our email of 31 May 2023 (attached), the Information
Commissioner's Office (ICO) advises that organisations do not have to
create new information in response to a request. As also explained in our
response of 9 May 2023, you have the right to an independent review by the
ICO if a query cannot be resolved through the UKHSA internal review
procedure.  
The ICO can be contacted by calling the ICO’s helpline on 0303 123 1113,
visiting the ICO’s website at www.ico.org.uk or writing to the ICO at
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][UKHSA request email] 
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Clare Craig <[FOI #945220 email]>
Sent: 11 June 2023 14:01
To: Information Rights <[email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Death data
for vaccinated population
 
EXTERNAL: This email originated outside of UKHSA. Do not click links or
attachments unless you recognise the sender.

Dear UK Health Security Agency,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of UK Health Security Agency's
handling of my FOI request 'Death data for vaccinated population'.

I was denied data based on it being identifiable. When I showed how easily
it could be deidentified I was denied it on the basis that that was
"creating information" that is not already held. It is not a good look for
UKHSA to be hiding this data. Please can you review why it has not been
released in a deidentified manner.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on
the Internet at this address:
[3]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Yours faithfully,

Clare Craig

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #945220 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[4]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[5]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
[6]https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

show quoted sections