Request for the Facilities to accommodate the Press and Public at the Central Criminal Court (old Bailey)

The request was successful.

Dear Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service,

I would be very grateful if you provided me with the following information regarding
arrangements and procedures for members of the press and members of the public
attending proceedings at the Central Criminal Court:

1. How many Court Rooms exist
2. What are specific arrangements for the Press attending a court hearing

How many members of the press can be accommodated inside the court rooms , per court room.

What is the process they have to follow to attend the court hearing.

Can the Press live tweet during the court hearing.

Is there a ticketing system to regulate how many members of the press can attend the court hearing. Who should the press write to to get access to the court hearings.

3. What are the specific arrangements for members of the Public attending a court hearing. Members of the public include: family members, current and former politicians, members of the press who cannot get into the area for the press due to space limitations, general public.

How many members of the public can be accommodated inside court rooms, per court room. What is the process the public has to follow to attend the court hearing.

Is there a ticketing process to regulate the members of public entering the public gallery.

Can the public take notes during the court hearing.
Can the public live tweet during the court hearing.

4. Are there rooms at Central Criminal Court with live feed broadcast linking up to the Court rooms where the press and or members of the public can follow court proceedings without being physically inside the court room. If yes what is their capacity.

5. What is the area outside the court where the press and camera crews can set up and do their filming?

6. What is the area outside the court where the press and public can hear and film the Defence Lawyers making statements at the end of each day of a court hearing.

7. What are the exact arrangements the court is putting in place to accommodate the high interest among press and public in the Julian Assange US Extradition Case scheduled to be heard in September 2020.

8. There will be a high number of people who wish to await outside the court during proceedings.

Please specify the exact location where these members of the public can congregate safely.”

Yours faithfully,

Emmy Butlin

LondonKILO, HM Courts and Tribunals Service

1 Attachment

Dear Emmy Butlin,

 

Please see the attached acknowledgment to your request (our reference
200629017)

 

Regards

 

Knowledge and Information Officer
Knowledge and Information Liaison Unit | London Regional Support Unit |
3^rd Floor | First Avenue House | 42-49 High Holborn | London | WC1V 6NP |
DX160010 Kingsway 7

Web: [1]www.gov.uk/hmcts

 

Unless a higher marking is specified please treat this email as: OFFICIAL

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Internet e-mail is not a
secure medium. Any reply to this message could be intercepted and read by
someone else. Please bear that in mind when deciding whether to send
material in response to this message by e-mail. This e-mail (whether you
are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained
by the Ministry of Justice. Monitoring / blocking software may be used,
and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to
ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their
contents.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.gov.uk/hmcts
http://www.gov.uk/hmcts

hide quoted sections

Disclosure Team, HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Dear Ms Butlin

We apologise for the delay in our response. Thank you for your e-mail, I am writing to advise you that your enquiry does not fall under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) regime and has been rejected by the Disclosure Team.

It may be helpful if I explain that the FOIA gives individuals and organisations the right of access to all types of recorded information held, at the time the request is received, by public authorities such as the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Section 84 of the FOIA states that in order for a request for information to be handled as a FOI request, it must be for recorded information.

For example, a FOI request would be for a copy of a policy, rather than an explanation as to why we have that policy in place. On occasion, the MoJ receives requests that do not ask for recorded information, but ask more general questions about, for example, a policy, opinion or a decision.

You may wish to re-submit your enquiry to the Ministry of Justice, which will be treated as Official Correspondence. Our contact details are as follows:

Contact Form:

https://contact-moj.dsd.io/

If you do have any questions relating specifically to the FOIA or Data Protection Act (DPA), please contact the Disclosure Team at the following e-mail address: [HMCTS request email]

Kind regards,

The Disclosure Team

-----Original Message-----
From: Emmy Butlin <[FOI #673304 email]>
Sent: 29 June 2020 15:29
To: Disclosure Team <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Request for the Facilities to accommodate the Press and Public at the Central Criminal Court (old Bailey)

Dear Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service,

I would be very grateful if you provided me with the following information regarding arrangements and procedures for members of the press and members of the public attending proceedings at the Central Criminal Court:

1. How many Court Rooms exist
2. What are specific arrangements for the Press attending a court hearing

How many members of the press can be accommodated inside the court rooms , per court room.

What is the process they have to follow to attend the court hearing.

Can the Press live tweet during the court hearing.

Is there a ticketing system to regulate how many members of the press can attend the court hearing. Who should the press write to to get access to the court hearings.

3. What are the specific arrangements for members of the Public attending a court hearing. Members of the public include: family members, current and former politicians, members of the press who cannot get into the area for the press due to space limitations, general public.

How many members of the public can be accommodated inside court rooms, per court room. What is the process the public has to follow to attend the court hearing.

Is there a ticketing process to regulate the members of public entering the public gallery.

Can the public take notes during the court hearing.
Can the public live tweet during the court hearing.

4. Are there rooms at Central Criminal Court with live feed broadcast linking up to the Court rooms where the press and or members of the public can follow court proceedings without being physically inside the court room. If yes what is their capacity.

5. What is the area outside the court where the press and camera crews can set up and do their filming?

6. What is the area outside the court where the press and public can hear and film the Defence Lawyers making statements at the end of each day of a court hearing.

7. What are the exact arrangements the court is putting in place to accommodate the high interest among press and public in the Julian Assange US Extradition Case scheduled to be heard in September 2020.

8. There will be a high number of people who wish to await outside the court during proceedings.

Please specify the exact location where these members of the public can congregate safely.”

Yours faithfully,

Emmy Butlin

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #673304 email]

Is [HMCTS request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________________
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Internet e-mail is not a secure medium. Any reply to this message could be intercepted and read by someone else. Please bear that in mind when deciding whether to send material in response to this message by e-mail. This e-mail (whether you are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained by the Ministry of Justice. Monitoring / blocking software may be used, and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their contents.

hide quoted sections

Dear Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service's handling of my FOI request 'Request for the Facilities to accommodate the Press and Public at the Central Criminal Court (old Bailey)'.

Your response to my FOIA was to advise me that it falls outside the FOIA remit. I filed exactly the same request in relation to Belmarsh Magistrates Court and that FOIA you answered in full. Please see here:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/6...

Please review your decision not to answer my FOIA or explain why one court is different from the other.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/r...

Yours faithfully,

Emmy Butlin

Disclosure Team, HM Courts and Tribunals Service

This is an automated confirmation that your email has been received by the
Disclosure Team (Ministry of Justice) mailbox.

 

Freedom of Information (FOI)

 

If your email is a FOI request you can expect a response within 20 working
days.

 

However, please be advised that due to the current situation with COVID-19
we may not be able to provide a response within this timescale; if this is
the case, we will contact you to provide an update.

 

Every effort is being made to respond to FOIs as usual but the current
situation means that available Departmental resources will be needed on
other high priority areas.

 

We kindly ask for your understanding during this unprecedented situation
and we will aim to deal with your FOI request as soon as is practically
possible.

 

Subject Access Requests (under the General Data Protection Regulation
((EU) 2016/679)) (the Regulation) and/or Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA))

 

If your email is a SAR, you can expect a response within 1 calendar month.

 

However, please be advised that due to the current situation with COVID-19
we may not be able to provide within this timescale; if this is the case,
we will contact you to provide an update.

 

Every effort is being made to respond to SARs as usual but the current
situation means that available Departmental resources will be needed on
other high priority areas.

 

We kindly ask for your understanding during this unprecedented situation
and we will aim to deal with your SAR as soon as is practically possible.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Internet e-mail is not a
secure medium. Any reply to this message could be intercepted and read by
someone else. Please bear that in mind when deciding whether to send
material in response to this message by e-mail. This e-mail (whether you
are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained
by the Ministry of Justice. Monitoring / blocking software may be used,
and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to
ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their
contents.

hide quoted sections

LondonKILO, HM Courts and Tribunals Service

1 Attachment

Dear Emmy Butlin,

 

Please see attached the acknowledgement to your FOI request.

 

 

Regards,

 

Knowledge and Information Liaison Officer

Knowledge and Information Liaison Unit | London Regional Support Unit |
3^rd Floor | First Avenue House | 42-49 High Holborn | London | WC1V 6NP |
DX160010 Kingsway 7

ü Please consider the environment before printing.

[1]Here is how HMCTS uses personal data about you

 

Unless a higher marking is specified please treat this email as: OFFICIAL

[2]Coronavirus (COVID-19): courts and tribunals planning and preparation

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Internet e-mail is not a
secure medium. Any reply to this message could be intercepted and read by
someone else. Please bear that in mind when deciding whether to send
material in response to this message by e-mail. This e-mail (whether you
are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained
by the Ministry of Justice. Monitoring / blocking software may be used,
and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to
ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their
contents.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
2. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-...

hide quoted sections

LondonKILO, HM Courts and Tribunals Service

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Butlin,

 

Please see attached our response to your FOI request.

 

Regards,

 

Knowledge and Information Liaison Officer

Knowledge and Information Liaison Unit | London Regional Support Unit |
3^rd Floor | First Avenue House | 42-49 High Holborn | London | WC1V 6NP |
DX160010 Kingsway 7

ü Please consider the environment before printing.

[1]Here is how HMCTS uses personal data about you

 

Unless a higher marking is specified please treat this email as: OFFICIAL

[2]Coronavirus (COVID-19): courts and tribunals planning and preparation

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Internet e-mail is not a
secure medium. Any reply to this message could be intercepted and read by
someone else. Please bear that in mind when deciding whether to send
material in response to this message by e-mail. This e-mail (whether you
are the sender or the recipient) may be monitored, recorded and retained
by the Ministry of Justice. Monitoring / blocking software may be used,
and e-mail content may be read at any time. You have a responsibility to
ensure laws are not broken when composing or forwarding e-mails and their
contents.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
2. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-...

hide quoted sections