Dear Department of Health (Northern Ireland),
I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
1. Please can you confirm does Northern Ireland have a National Minimum Foster Allowance?
2. Please can you outline the powers of the Department of Health and the Minister to set or direct the setting of foster care allowances in Northern Ireland. Please outline:
a. the specific legislation (section, clause, or schedule)
b. the specific regulation (section, clause, or schedule)
c. the specific standards

3. In the case of a regional setting of foster care allowances (such as the Foster Care Allowance Model Scheme) please outline the legislation, regulations, and standards (please cite specific section, clause, standards) which the body setting allowances must adhere to in setting foster care allowances.
4. In the case of a Health and Social Care Trust Fostering provider please outline the legislation, regulations, and standards (please cite specific section, clause, standards) which a fostering provider in Northern Ireland must adhere to in setting foster care allowances.
5. In the case of an Independent Fostering Agencies (IFA) please outline the legislation, regulations, and standards (please cite specific section, clause, standards) which a fostering provider in Northern Ireland must adhere to in setting foster care allowances.
6. Please can you confirm that the setting of foster care allowances should be subject to equality screening or equality impact assessment by the Department of Health, appropriate regional body, Health and Social Care Trusts, Independent Fostering Agency.

7. Please can you outline the powers of the Department of Health and the Minister to set or direct the setting of foster carer fee payments in Northern Ireland. Please outline:
a. the specific legislation (section, clause, or schedule)
b. the specific regulation (section, clause, or schedule)
c. the specific standard

8. In the case of a regional setting of foster care fees outline the legislation, regulations, and standards (please cite specific section, clause, standard) which the body setting allowances must adhere to in setting foster carer fees.
9. In the case of a Health and Social Care Trust Fostering provider please outline the legislation, regulations, and standards (please cite specific section, clause, standards) which a fostering provider in Northern Ireland must adhere to in setting foster carer fees.
10. In the case of an Independent Fostering Agencies (IFA) please outline the legislation, regulations, and standards (please cite specific section, clause, standards) which a fostering provider in Northern Ireland must adhere to in setting foster care allowances.
11. Please can you confirm that the setting of foster carer fees should be subject to equality screening or equality impact assessment by the Department of Health, appropriate regional body, Health and Social Care Trusts, Independent Fostering Agency?
I would like the above information to be provided to me as an electronic copy.
If the request is too broad or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand under the Act you are required to advise and assist requesters. If any of the information is already in the public domain, please send it to me directly with page references or URLs when necessary.
If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please provide advice and assistance under the section 16 obligations of the Act, as to how I can refine the request.
I understand that you are required to respond to my request within 20 working days after receiving this request. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing you have received this request.
Yours faithfully,
Alastair Scott-Mckinley

Dear Elizabeth Kayaalp
Thank you for your response and thank you for the time taken to prepare the response.
Yours sincerely,
Alastair Scott-McKinley