Mandatory Work Activity and Work Programmes in Norfolk

Anthony Duncan made this Freedom of Information request to Department for Work and Pensions This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was refused by Department for Work and Pensions.

Anthony Duncan
Delivered

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

I would be grateful if you would provide the following information under the FOI Act.

I am writing to request a list of those organisations signed up to provide work placements (not less than 4 weeks, unpaid) under the Mandatory Work Activity and Mandatory Work Programme schemes as referred by JCP and its linked providers (Igneus UK Ltd and Seetec) in the East of England Contract Package Areas of Norfolk and Suffolk. Please also make it clear in which town (Norwich, Ipswich etc.) that each organisation provides these programmes.

Yours faithfully,

Anthony Duncan

Link to this Report
DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct. 

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
do please contact us.

For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.

[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

Link to this Report
DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Duncan,

Please see attached response to your FoI request

Kind regards

DWP Central FoI Team

show quoted sections

Link to this Report

Sam Barnett-Cormack left an annotation ()

Interesting response. I hope the requesting party will send this to internal review. I have concerns over the reasons given for withholding, especially the mention that the reasons people want the information is a problem. Apart from questions of public interest, I wasn't aware that FoI requesters had to justify their request, nor do they have to articulate the public interest themselves.

I'd be interested to find out if protecting commercial interests really extends to concealing the public-policy related activities of organisations.

Link to this Report

Mr Atrill left an annotation ()

I share Sam Barnett-Cormack view that an Internal review should be requested, in fact I would go as far as considering that not doing so cannot be in the public interest.

In the meanwhile perhaps posting the same question, along with a link to this request, onto local forums and Internet message boards in the Norfolk area, and asking anyone who has been forced into Mandatory Work Activity to add details as an annotation to this request.

Link to this Report

www.consent.me.uk (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

fyi

The DWP Head of Work Programmes Division[1] wrote a memo to Minister for Employment on 24 April 2012 which stated:

There are no "cost limits"[2] for Freedom of Information Act (FOI) requests as all of the DWP's Work Programme's Providers (employment related support services) have contractual obligations to provide information they hold on behalf of the DWP.

Memo extract:
http://www.consent.me.uk/docs/foicosts.png

Full memo:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/11...

All DWP Employment service contractors have to hold a "framework contract":
Q40
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa...

Freedom of Information Act obligations in this area are outlined on pages 36 and 37 of the DWP Framework Agreement for the provision of employment related support services.

Framework Agreement Extracts:
pages 36 and 37
http://www.consent.me.uk/official

Complete Framework Agreement:
http://dwp.gov.uk/docs/framework-draft-t...

[1] Work Programmes include:

Mandatory Work Activity
The Work Programme
Community Action Programme

[2] Cost limits

An authority can refuse a request if it estimates that it will cost them in excess of the appropriate cost limit to fulfil your request. The limit is £600 for central government
http://www.ico.gov.uk/Global/faqs/freedo...

Link to this Report

www.consent.me.uk (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

On the 30 August 2012 the ICO ordered the DWP to release the names of Mandatory Work Activity placement providers across the UK. Therefore it is suggested
you email the ICO <casework@ico.gsi.gov.uk> and say you wish to appeal against your DWP refusal saying you consider the refusal was unlawful for the similar reasons outlined in FS50438037 Decision Noticehttp://www.ico.gov.uk/~/media/documents/...
Background info http://www.consent.me.uk/icodwpdecision/

Link to this Report