Publication of Freedom of Information responses (FOI)

​Request

A

How many freedom of information requests have been received in the last 12 month that have not been published on this website for the public to view?

B

How many freedom of information requests have been received in the last two years specifically relating to the education department have not been published for the public to view?

Response

A

The default position of the Central Freedom of Information Unit (CFU) is to publish the responses to completed requests online once the response has been sent to the original requester.

The CFU received 869 requests in 2017.

809 of the requests received were valid.

Of the valid requests, 122 were not published. Reasons requests might not be published include:

• requests not clarified by requester *

• requests contain information personal to the requester

• requests relating to planning permissions and so contain personal information and / or have limited value to the wider public

• requests withdrawn

• substantially similar to previous request

• request response outstanding at year end

* The authority can request clarification from a requester in order to be able to answer a request. If clarification is not received the request is closed.

There is no legal obligation to publish responses to Freedom of Information requests.

More information can be found in response to a previous request on the following link:

Freedom of Information requests received and published (FOI)

B

During 2017 all responses issued by the Education department were published on the disclosure log. In 2016 one response issued by the Education department was not published as this response contained personal details and would have had no relevance to any other party.