Vice - Macintyre Investigates

Dear British Broadcasting Corporation,

Please disclose a copy of 'Vice' - a documentary in the series Macintyre Investigates, which was broadcast on BBC 1 on May 9, 2002.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Atkinson

Dear British Broadcasting Corporation,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of British Broadcasting Corporation's handling of my FOI request 'Vice - Macintyre Investigates'.

The information I have requested clearly falls within the ambit of the Freedom of Information Act and the BBC has previously interpreted the Act in this way – the BBC disclosed a transmitted TV programme in response to an FOIA request reference number RF120191072 made on June 25, 2019.

I invite you to check your records.

If you still refuse to review the matter or refuse to disclose the transmitted TV programme 'Vice', then I will of course refer this request to the ICO.

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

Yours faithfully,

Paul Atkinson

Dear British Broadcasting Corporation,

For the attention of: Head of Department.

I am writing to request that you conduct an internal review of British Broadcasting Corporation's handling of my FOI request 'Vice - Macintyre Investigates'.

I wonder, in the first instance, if you would be kind enough to clarify the BBC’s policy in relation to Freedom of Information Act Requests?

I have been informed that the first person who considers an FOIA request on behalf of the BBC is, as per BBC policy, considered to be infallible. That is, simply incapable of making mistakes or being wrong. And it is because of this assumed infallibility, as a matter of policy, that an internal review by a more senior member of staff has been dismissed out of hand in this case. Is this correct?

I note, in relation to this request, that the person who has considered it has made no mention of having reviewed FOIA request reference number RF120191072 made on June 25, 2019. This was when the BBC interpreted the Freedom of Information Act in such a way that a transmitted TV show did fall under auspices of the Freedom of Information Act and was therefore disclosed.

Because no mention has been made of RF120191072, nor does it appear to have been considered, please re-consider my request to have this case reviewed internally, on the grounds that it has clearly been incorrectly processed by the BBC, at this time.

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

Yours faithfully,

Paul Atkinson

Dear British Broadcasting Corporation,

My correspondence dated December 17, 2021, has asked for this FOIA application to be referred to the head of department for internal review. This is because the BBC have refused to provide a copy of a transmitted TV show, because this information, according to the BBC, is not covered by the Act; but yet the BBC have previously interpreted the Act in such a way that a transmitted TV show did fall under auspices of the Act and was therefore disclosed. (FOIA request reference number RF120191072 refers).

Today, I have received an email that appears to be from the BBC, which has not appeared on the ‘WhatDoTheyKnow’ system.

This BBC email was timed at 08:37, which is more than two hours before my request for internal review by the head of department was sent to the BBC. Obviously the BBC email sent at 08:33 today cannot refer to the correspondence dated December 17, 2021.

For transparency, please provide an update in relation to the letter dated December 17, 2021, via the ‘WhatDoTheyKnow’ system, as this is a matter of public interest.

I look forward to hearing from you in relation to the correspondence dated December 17, 2021.

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

Yours faithfully,

Paul Atkinson