Decision to retain the Architects Registration Board

Dear Department for Communities and Local Government,

Concerning the "List of quangos to be abolished, retained, under consideration and merged" published by the Government in October 2010, in connection (only) with the Architects Registration Board that is shown to be retained, please identify and provide copies to me of:

1. The original decision to retain ("the decision") showing all head notes and end notes, face sheets and end sheets, and in particular the identity/(ies) and/or office description(s) of the decision taker(s).

2. All briefing papers / emails etc informing the decision, showing in particular the authorship of each paper / email etc.

3. All internal Government meeting notes and/or minutes relevant to and/or informing the decision identifying those attending.

3. All relevant meeting notes and/or minutes between the Government and / or its officers with the Architects registration Board and/or its officers (executive, appointed or elected) identifying those attending;

4. Telephone conversation notes between the same identifying the participants;

5. Correspondence whether by mail or email between the same identifying the correspondents;

6. All representations relevant to the decision made to the Government its ministers or its officers by individuals, organisations or by or through Members of Parliament (of both houses).

In respect of the redaction of information, for instance a redaction of the names of private individuals, please justify any such redaction by reference to the relevant statute. In respect of any exemption, please identify the information exempted and the justification for its exemption.

Please note that none of the above request relates to the formulation or development of Government Policy. It is a request for information about a decision and the formulation of that decision.

Yours faithfully,

Ian Salisbury

Evonne Hopwood,

1 Attachment

<<101122 F0004265 Acknowledgement Ian Salisbury.doc>>
Mr Salisbury

Please see attached
Evonne Hopwood
Communities and Local Government
BRAC/ARB
Sustainable Buildings Division
Zone 5/F8, Eland House
Bressenden Place
LONDON SW1E 5DU
Tel: 0303 444 1813
**Fridays working from home

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Dear Evonne Hopwood,

Thank you for your letter and I look forward to hearing from you promptly, as the law requires.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Salisbury

Richard Harral,

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Salisbury,

Please see attached correspondence relating to your Freedom of Information
request.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Harral
Department for Communities and Local Government

<<101210 F0004265 extension.doc>>

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Dear Mr Harral,

Thank you for your letter. The exemptions set out in the Act provide little in the way of subjective assessment as to whether information is or is not exempt from disclosure. It appears to me that as I have requested only information appertaining to a decision that has already been taken, there is no relevant exemption.

It is disappointing that you have waited until the latest moment both for you reply just received and for your proposed further reply. May I please remind you that the first obligation stated under the Act is that the information is to be provided "promptly",

Yours sincerely,

Ian Salisbury

Richard Harral,

5 Attachments

Dear Mr Salisbury,

Please find attached a covering letter in relation to your recent Freedom
of Information request on the issue of the Architects Registration Board,
three e-mail files containing the information released and a schedule of
the information withheld.

<<110107 table of docs and exemptions.doc>> <<110110 F0004265 Release of
information.doc>>

<<F0004265 doc3.tif>> <<F0004265 doc1.tif>> <<F0004265 doc2.tif>>

As ever, should you wish to meet to discuss these issues I would be happy
to do so.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Harral

Principal Architect
5/G9
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU

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Dear Department for Communities and Local Government,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Communities and Local Government's handling of my FOI request 'Decision to retain the Architects Registration Board'.

My complaint is that the application of the statutory exemptions the your reply so as to refuse to disclose information is evidently excessive from the paucity of information provided, and the reasons given in justification are so insufficient that it is not possible to ascertain whether or not they have been properly applied.

Owing the the lateness of your reply, I am also writing in complaint to the Information Commissioner. I shall also mention this aspect of the information provided, saying that I shall elaborate my complaint or else withdraw it on consideration of your review when this has been received.

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

Yours faithfully,

Ian Salisbury

CLG-FOIAdvice,

Dear Mr Salisbury

REQUEST FOR INTERNAL REVIEW

Thank you for your email of 10th January 2011, in which you seek a review of the response provided by Communities and Local Government to your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act.

The review will be considered under the Department's internal review procedures. A full re-evaluation of your request will be undertaken.

I will today allocate this request to an Internal Review Officer and you should receive a reply by 7th February 2011.

Yours sincerely

FOI Advice Team
Knowledge Management Division
Zone 2/A3, Eland House
0303 444 3973

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Miranda Abrey,

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Salisbury,

Please find attached a response to your request for an Internal review of
Freedom of Information request - Decision to retain the Architects
Registration Board.

<<110207 Response to Internal Review Request.pdf>>

Miranda Abrey

European Policy and Programmes Division
Zone 4/G6
Department for Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London, SW1E 5DU
Tel: 0303 4442691
e-mail: [email address]

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Ian Salisbury left an annotation ()

This request has been referred to the ICO.