In contrast to the DWP, finding the contact address for the Inland Revenue was much more staightforward.
An FOIA request is being sent to them, because, after all, they are supplying half of the sensitive personal data including names and addresses and financial records going back over the last 24 years.
One would hope that the Inland Revenue have some interest in what use is being made of this data, and are represented on the mythical Ethics Committee.
As with the DWP request, there is also a question about whether or not this sensitive data has been put at risk by the acknowledged internal IT security failures (sevral hundred incidents a year).
Read the FOIA request sent to the Inland Revenue:
The Freedom of Information Act Unit Information Resources Inland Revenue Room 59 New Wing, Somerset House Strand London WC2R 1LBCopy sent by email to: ccp.disclosure@ir.gsi.gov.uk
Microsoft Word format attachment: ir_foia_1.docSunday 9th January 2005
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Formal Request for InformationDear Sir or Madam
Please provide me with the following information:
1) All emails, minutes of meetings and reports pertaining to the establishment of the Department for Work and Pensions - Inland Revenue Longitudinal Study Ethics Committee.2) Details of any of the Inland Revenue IT security incidents involving people or machines or systems, with direct or indirect access, to the Inland Revenue datasets which have been, or are made available for the Longitudinal Study.
References:
Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study - Background Information
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/longitudinal_study/ic_longitudinal_study.asp Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study - Safeguards
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/longitudinal_study/ic_longitudinal_study_safeguards.asp Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study - List of Uses
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/longitudinal_study/ic_longitudinal_study_uses.aspPlease provide the information ideally by publishing it on your public world wide website, or alternatively by email.
In the unlikely event that this information is not already available in a standard electronic format, then please explain the reasons why, when you provide the information in another format.
If you are proposing to make a charge for providing the information requested, please provide full details in advance, together with an explanation of any proposed charge
If you decide to withhold any of the information requested you should clearly explain why you have done so in your response, by reference to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 legislation. If your decision to withhold is based upon an evaluation of the public interest, then you should clearly explain which public interests you have considered, and why you have decided that the public interest in maintaining the exception(s) outweighs the public interest in releasing the information.
I look forward to receiving the information requested as soon as possible and in any event within 20 working days of receipt. i.e. by Monday 7th February 2005
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
If you require any clarification of this request please contact me as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely
