Impact of Covid-19 on FOI responsiveness E&W
Dear Sir/Madam,
1. For the period 16th March – 17th July 2020 (i.e., when ICO had indicated a sympathetic approach to delay), provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
(c) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(d) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
2. For the period 18th July – 8th October 2020 (i.e., during the ‘preparing for recovery’ phase), provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
(c) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(d) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
3. During the period 1st March to 30th October 2020, provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued more than 60 working days after receipt of the request?
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued more than 60 working days after receipt of a request for an internal review?
4. When FOI request or review responses were issued more than 21 working days after receipt during the period 1st March and 30th October 2020, what were the main reasons for the delay? e.g., closure of premises due to Covid-19, reallocation of resources due to Covid-19, staff shortages due to Covid-19, absence of key staff due to Covid-19, limited access to necessary systems due to Covid-19, other issue related/unrelated to Covid19.
5. In relation to the FOI requests received by your organisation between 1st March and 30th October 2020, what proportion related directly to Covid-19, your organisation's Covid-19 response or impact of the pandemic on your organisation? (Provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%)
6. On 17th July 2020 the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) launched a self-assessment Freedom of Information toolkit (FOI self-assessment toolkit | ICO) to help public authorities respond to FOI requests as they prepared to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
- Does, or has your organisation ever, use/d the toolkit? If so, please explain whether it has it had any positive outcomes.
- If your organisation has not/does not make use of the toolkit, please explain why not.
7. In response to Covid19, has the volume of information your organisation publishes:
- not changed
- significantly increased
- significantly decreased
- don’t know
8. Has your organisation taken steps to proactively publish information relating to Covid-19, your organisation's Covid-19 response or the impact of the pandemic on your organisation? If it includes a dedicated webpage, please provide a link to the webpage.
If you wish to contact me for more information before responding, please see my contact details below.
Thank you for your time and effort in responding to these questions.
Yours faithfully,
Karen
Dr Karen Mc Cullagh, Lecturer in Law
UEA Law School, 205 Earlham Hall, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ
Research webpage: https://www.karenmccullagh.co.uk/covid-1...
About me: https://research-portal.uea.ac.uk/en/per...
Annwyl Dr Mc Cullagh [English below]
Ein cyfeirnod: 202201660
Diolch am eich cais am wybodaeth a dderbyniwyd ar 10/06/2022, yr wyf yn ei
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gwybodaeth bersonol at ddibenion ystyried eich cais. [1]Darllenwch fwy.
Annwyl
Ein cyfeiriad: 202201660
Gofynnodd y Rheolwr Llywodraethu Gwybodaeth, Alison Parker, i mi ymateb,
trwy ebost yn unig, i’ch cais am wybodaeth a welwch fel atodiad i’r ebost
hwn.
Os oes gennych unrhyw ymholiadau mewn perthynas â'r llythyr, cysylltwch ag
Alison Parker yn uniongyrchol naill ai dros y ffôn ar 01656 644200 neu
drwy ebost yn [1]cais.gwybodaeth@ombwdsmon.cymru
Cofion cynnes
Swyddog Gymorth Gwybodaeth a Diogelu Data
Dear Dr Mc Cullagh
Our reference: 202201660
I have been asked by Information Governance Manager, Alison Parker to
provide you, by email only, a response to your information request which
you will find as an attachment to this email.
If you have any queries in relation to the letter, please contact Alison
Parker directly either by telephone on 01656 644200 or via email at
[2][email address]
Kind regards
Information & Data Protection Support Officer
--
Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru/ Public Services Ombudsman for
Wales
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Pencoed
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[3]www.ombwdsmon-cymru.org.uk / [4]www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk
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4. http://www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk/
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Dear Alison & Colleagues,
Eich cif/Your reference: 202201660
Thank you for your exceptionally detailed responses to my questions. They are very helpful.
I really appreciate the time and effort you put into answering my questions.
Diolch yn fawr
Yours sincerely,
Karen
Dr Karen Mc Cullagh
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