Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information Team (FOI) at South
Wales Police.  This message is to confirm that we have received your
correspondence. Please do not reply to this email.

Ydych chi angen siarad gyda'r heddlu ond nad oes angen ymateb brys arnoch?
Ffoniwch 101… Gellir defnyddio'r rhif i roi gwybod am achos nad yw'n un
brys i unrhyw heddlu yng Nghymru a Lloegr.

Mewn argyfwng, ffoniwch 999 bob amser.

Do you need to speak to police but don't require an emergency response?
Call 101… The number can be used to report a non-emergency to any force in
Wales and England.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Mae Heddlu De Cymru yn croesawu derbyn gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg a Saesneg.
Byddwn yn ateb gohebiaeth a dderbynnir yn Gymraeg yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd
gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi.

South Wales Police welcomes receiving correspondence in Welsh and English.
Any correspondence received in Welsh will be answered in Welsh and
corresponding in Welsh will not lead to a delay in responding.

show quoted sections

Dear Ms King,

I write in connection with your request for information regarding facial
recognition technology.

The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly and in any case no
later than 20 working days after received your request. 

We must consider firstly whether we can comply with s1(1)(a) of the Act,
which is our duty to confirm whether or not the information requested is
held and secondly we must comply with s1(1)(b), which is the provision of
such information. 

However, the Act allows the time for response to be longer than 20 working
days, if this balance of the public interest test is undetermined.

In this case we have not yet reached a decision on where the balance of
the public interest lies and estimate that it will take additional time to
make this decision.  Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by the
25th September.  If it appears that it will take longer than this to reach
a conclusion, you will be kept informed.

The specific exemption which applies in relation to your request is S.22 –
Information intended for future publication.  This is a qualified
exemption which requires the authority to conduct a public interest test
to establish whether the public interest is best served by disclosure on
non-disclosure of the information.

The ‘public interest’ is not however, what the public may find
interesting, there must be some tangible benefit to the community in such
a disclosure.  Ultimately, it must be something that serves the interests
of the public.  It is a requirement to identify all the factors which
serve these interests and also those which do not, only then can a
decision be made.

Additional information may be located on the ICO’s guidance page at the
link below (Awareness guidance 11 – Time for Compliance):

[1]http://www.ico.gov.uk/tools_and_resource...

Kind regards,

Vicky Griffiths

Freedom of Information Team

Data Management Unit & Disclosure Unit/Rheoli Data ac Uned Datgelu

South Wales Police HQ/Pencadlys yr Heddlu

Cowbridge Road/Heol y Bont-Faen

Bridgend/Penybont ar Ogwr

CF31 3SU

DD Telephone/Telliffon 01656 303444

E-mail/E-bost: [2][email address]

P       Ystyriwch yr amgylchedd - oes angen argraffu'r e-bost hwn mewn
gwirionedd? / Please consider the environment - do you really need to
print this email? 

Ydych chi angen siarad gyda'r heddlu ond nad oes angen ymateb brys arnoch?
Ffoniwch 101 Gellir defnyddio'r rhif i roi gwybod am achos nad yw'n un
brys i unrhyw heddlu yng Nghymru a Lloegr.

Mewn argyfwng, ffoniwch 999 bob amser.

Do you need to speak to police but don't require an emergency response?
Call 101 The number can be used to report a non-emergency to any force in
Wales and England.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Mae Heddlu De Cymru yn croesawu derbyn gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg a Saesneg.
Byddwn yn ateb gohebiaeth a dderbynnir yn Gymraeg yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd
gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi.

South Wales Police welcomes receiving correspondence in Welsh and English.
Any correspondence received in Welsh will be answered in Welsh and
corresponding in Welsh will not lead to a delay in responding.

Dear Ms King,

Unfortunately, we are still unable to reach a decision on where the
balance of the public interest lies and estimate that it will take
additional time to make this decision. Therefore, we plan to let you have
a response by the 23^rd October.  If it appears that it will take longer
than this to reach a conclusion, you will, once again, be kept informed.

Kind regards,

Vicky Griffiths

Freedom of Information Team

Data Management Unit & Disclosure Unit/Rheoli Data ac Uned Datgelu

South Wales Police HQ/Pencadlys yr Heddlu

Cowbridge Road/Heol y Bont-Faen

Bridgend/Penybont ar Ogwr

CF31 3SU

DD Telephone/Telliffon 01656 303444

E-mail/E-bost: [1][email address]

From: Freedom of Information
Sent: 25 August 2017 10:49
To: 'Pippa King' <[FOI #421859 email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information Request 846/17

Dear Ms King,

I write in connection with your request for information regarding facial
recognition technology.

The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly and in any case no
later than 20 working days after received your request. 

We must consider firstly whether we can comply with s1(1)(a) of the Act,
which is our duty to confirm whether or not the information requested is
held and secondly we must comply with s1(1)(b), which is the provision of
such information. 

However, the Act allows the time for response to be longer than 20 working
days, if this balance of the public interest test is undetermined.

In this case we have not yet reached a decision on where the balance of
the public interest lies and estimate that it will take additional time to
make this decision.  Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by the
25th September.  If it appears that it will take longer than this to reach
a conclusion, you will be kept informed.

The specific exemption which applies in relation to your request is S.22 –
Information intended for future publication.  This is a qualified
exemption which requires the authority to conduct a public interest test
to establish whether the public interest is best served by disclosure on
non-disclosure of the information.

The ‘public interest’ is not however, what the public may find
interesting, there must be some tangible benefit to the community in such
a disclosure.  Ultimately, it must be something that serves the interests
of the public.  It is a requirement to identify all the factors which
serve these interests and also those which do not, only then can a
decision be made.

Additional information may be located on the ICO’s guidance page at the
link below (Awareness guidance 11 – Time for Compliance):

[2]http://www.ico.gov.uk/tools_and_resource...

Kind regards,

Vicky Griffiths

Freedom of Information Team

Data Management Unit & Disclosure Unit/Rheoli Data ac Uned Datgelu

South Wales Police HQ/Pencadlys yr Heddlu

Cowbridge Road/Heol y Bont-Faen

Bridgend/Penybont ar Ogwr

CF31 3SU

DD Telephone/Telliffon 01656 303444

E-mail/E-bost: [3][email address]

P       Ystyriwch yr amgylchedd - oes angen argraffu'r e-bost hwn mewn
gwirionedd? / Please consider the environment - do you really need to
print this email? 

Ydych chi angen siarad gyda'r heddlu ond nad oes angen ymateb brys arnoch?
Ffoniwch 101 Gellir defnyddio'r rhif i roi gwybod am achos nad yw'n un
brys i unrhyw heddlu yng Nghymru a Lloegr.

Mewn argyfwng, ffoniwch 999 bob amser.

Do you need to speak to police but don't require an emergency response?
Call 101 The number can be used to report a non-emergency to any force in
Wales and England.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Mae Heddlu De Cymru yn croesawu derbyn gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg a Saesneg.
Byddwn yn ateb gohebiaeth a dderbynnir yn Gymraeg yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd
gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi.

South Wales Police welcomes receiving correspondence in Welsh and English.
Any correspondence received in Welsh will be answered in Welsh and
corresponding in Welsh will not lead to a delay in responding.

Dear Ms King,

Firstly, I do apologise for the delay in sending out your response. As previously advised, we have not yet reached a decision on where the balance of the public interest lies and estimate that it will take additional time to make this decision.

You have asked for the reasons for the delay and I would like to advise that due to increased workload and staff shortages, we have been unable to allocate the time to make the most appropriate decision in this case.

As previously advised, we will endeavour to respond to your request by 23rd October.

Kind regards,

Vicky Griffiths
Freedom of Information Team
Data Management Unit & Disclosure Unit/Rheoli Data ac Uned Datgelu
South Wales Police HQ/Pencadlys yr Heddlu
Cowbridge Road/Heol y Bont-Faen
Bridgend/Penybont ar Ogwr
CF31 3SU
DD Telephone/Telliffon 01656 303444
E-mail/E-bost: [email address]

Dear South Wales Police,

I would bring to your attention that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) guidance on considering a delay on answering a Freedom of Information request (FOIR) to carry out a public interest test is an additional 20 working days from the original due date of the FOIR. Twenty working days are considered to be a “reasonable” extension of time”. See https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/gui...

After speaking to the ICO today they have advised me that only in exceptional circumstances should the extra 20 days to consider public interest be exceeded. They have also advised me to ask to you to reply promptly as to what your reasons are for the additional 20 day consideration of public interest to be further extended to 23rd October, or indeed any time after 25th September. The ICO advised that I reserve the right to inform them of your decision to exceed the recommended 20 day consideration, at which point the ICO may become involved in the FOIR.

I would therefore request that you please advise the reason to extend the time to answer my request past the 20 days ‘reasonably’ allowed for the public interest test which was up to the 25th September 2017.

Thank you for your time in this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Pippa King

Dear Ms King

Your request for information has now been considered and our response is
attached.

I trust that this information answers your request. Should you have any
queries and wish to contact us by e-mail, please do so using the mail box
[1][South Wales Police request email]. (Please do not reply directly to my own
e-mail address as this may result in a delay to your request).

South Wales Police provides you the right to request a re-examination of
your case under its review procedure (copy attached). If you decide to
request such a review and having followed the Forces full process you are
still dissatisfied, then you have the right to direct your comments to the
Information Commissioner who will give it consideration.

Kind Regards

Sally Hillman

Team Leader - Arweinydd Tim

Data Management and Disclosure Unit

Rheoli Data ac Uned
Datgelu                                                                          

South Wales Police Headquarters

Pencadlys Heddlu De Cymru

Cowbridge Road

Heol y Bont Faen

Bridgend CF31 3SU

Pen-y-Bont ar Ogwr CF31 3SU

Direct Line/ Llinell Uniongyrchol: 01656 303444

Internal/Mewnol   26662 

Visit our website: [2]http://www.south-wales.police.uk/index.asp

Ewch i'n gwefan:  [3]http://www.south-wales.police.uk/index_w...

Ydych chi angen siarad gyda'r heddlu ond nad oes angen ymateb brys arnoch?
Ffoniwch 101… Gellir defnyddio'r rhif i roi gwybod am achos nad yw'n un
brys i unrhyw heddlu yng Nghymru a Lloegr.

Mewn argyfwng, ffoniwch 999 bob amser.

Do you need to speak to police but don't require an emergency response?
Call 101… The number can be used to report a non-emergency to any force in
Wales and England.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Mae Heddlu De Cymru yn croesawu derbyn gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg a Saesneg.
Byddwn yn ateb gohebiaeth a dderbynnir yn Gymraeg yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd
gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi.

South Wales Police welcomes receiving correspondence in Welsh and English.
Any correspondence received in Welsh will be answered in Welsh and
corresponding in Welsh will not lead to a delay in responding.