ECHR religious discrimination documentation
Christopher Whitmey made this Freedom of Information request to Equality and Human Rights Commission
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Equality and Human Rights Commission,
On 11 July 2011 the Commission said, "Judges have interpreted the law too narrowly in religion or belief discrimination claims, the Commission has said in its application to intervene in four cases at the European Court of Human Rights all involving religious discrimination in the workplace."
In August the Commission said, "The Court has just given us permission to intervene. We are seeking your views by Monday 5th September. This is a short deadline but, as we expected, the Court has only given us a few weeks in which to prepare our submissions.
We had suggested that our intervention might put forward the idea of extending the concept of reasonable accommodation beyond disability. However, we also know that this idea needs more careful consideration than the timetable for the European Court of Human Rights allows."
This appears to be a clear change of approach to the matter.
Please can you supply copies of:
1. Commission's application to ECHR to intervene; and/or
2. Copy of ECHR's permission to intervene; and/or
3. Copies of all, if any, communications or notes of communications to/from the Commission or individual Commissioners and from/to third parties or individual Commissioners between 01 July to 15 August 2011 concerning this application to the ECHR; and/or
4. Copies of any Commission's internal briefing papers concerning this application to the ECHR.
Yours faithfully,
Christopher Whitmey
Thank you for your email to the Equality Human Rights Commission, this
return email shows that we have received your correspondence.
The appropriate department will contact you within the next 5 working
days.
Dear Freedom of Information EHRC,
Thank you for your, possibly 'auto', acknowledgement. Also for your 5 working day target.
Both admirable that others could follow!
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Whitmey
[1]Logo - GB
Mr Christopher Whitmey
Email: [FOI #84879 email]
Date: 2^nd September 2011
Our Ref: FOI572
Subject: Freedom of Information Request - Acknowledgement
Dear Mr Whitmey
Thank you for your email dated 1^st September 2011 to the Equality and
Human Rights Commission where you have submitted the following Freedom of
Information Act request:
`On 11 July 2011 the Commission said, "Judges have interpreted the
law too narrowly in religion or belief discrimination claims, the
Commission has said in its application to intervene in four cases
at the European Court of Human Rights all involving religious
discrimination in the workplace."
In August the Commission said, "The Court has just given us
permission to intervene. We are seeking your views by Monday 5th
September. This is a short deadline but, as we expected, the Court
has only given us a few weeks in which to prepare our submissions.
We had suggested that our intervention might put forward the idea
of extending the concept of reasonable accommodation beyond
disability. However, we also know that this idea needs more careful
consideration than the timetable for the European Court of Human
Rights allows."
This appears to be a clear change of approach to the matter.
Please can you supply copies of:
1. Commission's application to ECHR to intervene; and/or
2. Copy of ECHR's permission to intervene; and/or
3. Copies of all, if any, communications or notes of communications
to/from the Commission or individual Commissioners and from/to
third parties or individual Commissioners between 01 July to 15
August 2011 concerning this application to the ECHR; and/or
4. Copies of any Commission's internal briefing papers concerning
this application to the ECHR'.
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we will provide
you with our response promptly and no later than 20 working days following
receipt of your request.
We received your request on 1^st September 2011.
In this instance, therefore, we will provide you with our response as soon
as possible and by 29^th September 2011 at the latest.
If you have any questions about this email, please contact us using the
details below.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Varney
Corporate Communications Officer.
Corporate Communications Team.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
3rd Floor
Lancaster House
67 Newhall Street
Birmingham
B3 1NA
Email: [2][Equality and Human Rights Commission request email]
Tel: 0845 604 6610
Fax: 0121 234 7312
Text Phone: 0845 604 6620
Thank you for your email to the Equality Human Rights Commission, this
return email shows that we have received your correspondence.
The appropriate department will contact you within the next 5 working
days.
Dear Mr Whitmey
Please find attached our response to your email dated 1^st September 2011.
Yours sincerely
Oliver Varney
Corporate Communications Officer
Equality and Human Rights Commission
3rd Floor
Lancaster House
67 Newhall Street
Birmingham
B3 1NA
Email: [Equality and Human Rights Commission request email]
Tel: 0121 234 7329/ 7381
Fax: 0121 234 7312
Text Phone: 0845 604 6620
Dear Mr Varney,
Thank you for your reply and clearly setting out the position concerning the £450 cost limit in the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 which equates to 18 hours work at £25 per hour. I note estimates from your directorates that my request in full would take a minimum of approximately 44 hours to locate, retrieve and extract what you consider to be all the relevant information in relation to my request.
Thank you for your offer to explore with me how the Equality and Human Rights Commission may best assist me to request relevant information which you hold.
You will have noted that my request was in four parts each in the alternative: 'and/or'. I accept that you may feel some of the questions in all or part may engage one or more of the exemptions from disclosure under FOIA. To further my request could you consider processing my request until you have incurred the £450 cost limit?
This would seem fair to both me and the Commission and in keeping with natural justice. If your answer is 'Yes' please could you process my request in the following order so far as the cost limit allows:
Please can you supply copies of:
1. Commission's application to ECHR to intervene; and/or
2. Copy of ECHR's permission to intervene; and/or
4. Copies of any Commission's internal briefing papers concerning this application to the ECHR.
In the light of your response I will reconsider my original part 3 in the light of the information you have supplied
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Whitmey
Thank you for your email to the Equality Human Rights Commission, this
return email shows that we have received your correspondence.
The appropriate department will contact you within the next 5 working
days.
[1]Logo - GB
Mr Christopher Whitmey
Email: [2][FOI #84879 email]
28^th September 2011
Our Ref: FOI572
Subject: Freedom of Information Request - Acknowledgement
Dear Mr Whitmey
Further to our correspondence dated 2^nd and 26^th September 2011, thank
you for your email dated 26^th September 2011 to the Equality and Human
Rights Commission, in which you have requested the following:-
‘To further my request could you consider processing my request until you
have incurred the £450cost limit?
This would seem fair to both me and the Commission and in keeping
with natural justice. If your answer is 'Yes' please could you
process my request in the following order so far as the cost limit
allows:
Please can you supply copies of:
1. Commission's application to ECHR to intervene; and/or
2. Copy of ECHR's permission to intervene; and/or
4. Copies of any Commission's internal briefing papers concerning
this application to the ECHR.
In the light of your response I will reconsider my original part 3
in the light of the information you have supplied’
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we will provide
you with our response promptly and no later than 20 working days following
receipt of your request.
We received your follow up request for information on 27^th September
2011.
In this instance, therefore, we will provide you with our response as soon
as possible and by 25^th October 2011 at the latest.
If you have any questions about this email, please contact us using the
details below.
Yours sincerely
Oliver Varney
Corporate Communications Officer
Corporate Communications Team
Equality and Human Rights Commission
3rd Floor
Lancaster House
67 Newhall Street
Birmingham
B3 1NA
Email: [3][Equality and Human Rights Commission request email]
Tel: 0121 234 7329 / 7381
Fax: 0121 234 7312
Text Phone: 0845 604 6620
Thank you for your email to the Equality Human Rights Commission, this
return email shows that we have received your correspondence.
The appropriate department will contact you within the next 5 working
days.
Dear Mr Whitmey
Please find attached, our response to your follow up Freedom of
Information request dated 26^th September 2011.
Please do not hesitate to let me know if you encounter any difficulty
accessing the attached information.
Yours sincerely
Oliver Varney
Corporate Communications Officer
Equality and Human Rights Commission
3rd Floor
Lancaster House
67 Newhall Street
Birmingham
B3 1NA
Email: [1][Equality and Human Rights Commission request email]
Tel: 0121 234 7329/ 7381
Fax: 0121 234 7312
Text Phone: 0845 604 6620
Dear Mr Varney,
Thank you for your comprehensive reply. Your carefully drafted explanations as to why you have excluded some matters is an example to be followed by other bodies!
It will take me awhile to digest what you have sent.
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Whitmey
Thank you for your email to the Equality Human Rights Commission, this
return email shows that we have received your correspondence.
The appropriate department will contact you within the next 5 working
days.
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