DWP Central Freedom of
Information Team
Caxton House
6-12 Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
Amanda Hart
freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
DWP Website
Our Ref: FOI2023/93842
8 December 2023
Dear Amanda Hart,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request received on 5 December. You
wrote:
“Background:
Ref: FOI2023 71247. On 15th September 2023 in part 2 we requested "Summaries or up
to the first 10 matching elements of correspondence or documentation that discuss how
the department monitors and addresses potential harm caused by policies, especially as
it pertains to disabled individuals". On 12th October 2023 you stated that clarification was
needed and asked us to be more specific.
Ref: FOI2023 78698. On 14th October 2023 we submitted the request again but the date
range of January 1, 2017, to the present was deemed too wide, which we accept.
We would therefore like to place this revised FoI request.
FoI request:
I request access to the following information that was applicable in the period of August
2023:
Summaries or up to the first 10 matching elements of correspondence or documentation
that discuss how the department monitors and addresses potential harm caused by
policies towards disabled claimants.
Public Interest Statements:
1. Transparency and Accountability: The divulgence of the requested information is
paramount for fostering transparency and accountability within the DWP.
2. Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants: The information sought is directly related to the
oversight and mitigation of potential harm arising from policies, particularly concerning
vulnerable and disabled claimants. This issue is of paramount public interest.
3. Policy Impact Assessment: Access to this information is instrumental in facilitating an
impartial assessment of the impact of policies on claimants, thereby enabling the
formulation of evidence-based policy enhancements.
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4. Public Confidence: The release of the requested information has the potential to
bolster public confidence in the DWP's commitment to the welfare of claimants.
5. Policy Evaluation: The information, if disclosed, can be invaluable in conducting
independent evaluations of DWP policies to ascertain their alignment with intended
objectives.
6. Preventing Harm: Comprehensive insight into the monitoring and remediation of
potential harm is indispensable for preventing adverse outcomes for claimants.
7. Academic Research: Scholars and researchers can harness this information for
rigorous studies and analyses, making significant contributions to knowledge and policy
refinement.
8. Advocacy and Support: Advocacy groups and organizations can employ this
information to champion the rights and well-being of disabled and vulnerable claimants.
9. Public Scrutiny: Accessible information on the impact of policies facilitates public
scrutiny of governmental actions and decisions, thereby promoting transparency and
accountability.
10. Legal and Ethical Considerations: The release of this information aligns seamlessly
with legal and ethical obligations that mandate the protection of the rights and well-being
of individuals.
If you believe that providing summaries or the first 10 matching elements applicable in
August 2023 is still too costly, please let me know, and I will attempt to further refine the
request to align with the cost limit.
I kindly request that the provided information be in electronic format, for ease of access
and efficient communication.
If any information within this revised request is subject to exemptions or limitations under
the UK Freedom of Information Act, please provide a clear explanation along with
references to the specific sections of the Act that pertain to the withheld information.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I appreciate your efforts in facilitating
access to relevant documents that shed light on the department's approach to
safeguarding disabled claimants.”
DWP Response
We are still not able to process your request as it still does not comply with Section 8(1)(c) of
the FoI Act.
As we outlined in our previous response FOI2023/92349, requests that want us to provide
information up to the cost limit, in this case summaries or up to the first 10 matching
elements, are not valid requests.
This is because the scope is determined by the extent of the record search we need to carry
out within those limits, rather than by the distinguishing characteristics of the information
itself.
Our advice is that you do not frame your request by asking us to provide information up to the
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cost limit i.e. do not ask for the first 10 matching elements.
Any request framed like this will always be invalid.
Also, as we have advised previously, asking for summaries implies that you want new
information to be created. Under the FoI Act we are not obliged to create new information to
answer a request.
Therefore our advice remains as per our responses to IR2023/83876 and FOI2023/92349, in
that you resubmit your request with a shorter timeframe of information, within the last 12
months and that any subsequent request does not ask for summaries or up to the first 10
matching elements.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has guidance on this scenario:
Recognising a request made under the Freedom of Information Act (section 8) | ICO
If you would like to submit your request again so that it conforms to a valid request under
Section 8 of the FoI Act, we will be pleased to consider it.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
Department for Work and Pensions
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