Below is our reply to the request for clarification about our Freeom of Information Act request for the official meeting diaries, agendas of meetings, travel and entertainment expenses of the senior members of the Home Office's Identity Cards Programme Team.
"Please state over what time period you are seeking this information"
September 11th 2001 onwards should suffice.
Home Secretary David Blunkett started mentioning ID Cards on September 14th 2001, in response to the September 11th attacks in the USA. He announced an "Entitlement Card" consultation in February 2002, which was published in July 2002. Presumably this was all handled by the Identity Cards Policy Unit headed by Stephen Harrison
The Identity Cards Programme, headed by Katherine Courtney does not seem to have come together until about June 2003, although it is "very much integrated" with the Policy Unit.
It is unclear from the letter of reply if the new position of "Head of Marketing" for ID Cards advertised in October 2004 has yet been filled.
Our reply:
Freedom of Information Act Request clarification
FAO: AAA BBB
Identity Cards Programme Team
Home Office
3rd Floor Allington Towers
19 Allington Street
London
SW1E 5EB
Copy sent by email to: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk, AAA.BBB@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Microsoft Word format attachment: HO_ICP_foia_1.doc
Saturday 29th January 2005
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Formal Request for InformationDear AAA
Thank you for your prompt reply via your letter of 26th January 2005,
your reference: 050126IDCFOI/MI/001/5
acknowledging my Freedom of Information Act request for:
1. The official meeting diaries, agendas of meetings, travel and entertainment expenses, involving Katherine Courtney, the Director of the Identity Cards Programme, with respect to the Identity Cards Programme.2. The official meeting diaries, agendas of meetings, travel and entertainment expenses, involving Stephen Harrison, Head of the Identity Card Policy Unit, with respect to the Identity Cards Programme
3. The official meeting diaries, agendas of meetings, travel and entertainment expenses, involving the newly appointed ID Cards - Head of Marketing, Communities Group Directorate - Home Office with respect to the Identity Cards Programme (or those of the person or persons standing in for this role if he/she has not yet been appointed).
http://www.careers.civil-service.gov.uk/index.asp?txtNavID=117&txtOverRideDocID=10067You ask for clarification:
"Please state over what time period you are seeking this information"September 11th 2001 onwards should suffice.
It seems from the Home Affairs Committee Oral Evidence session of Thursday 11th December 2003, given by Nicola Roche, Director, Children, Identity Cards & Coroners:"There is no separate programme team or policy team. We are very much integrated."that the Identity Card Policy Unit was formed sometime between September 11th 2001 and the announcement of the "Entitlement Card" consultation plans by Home Secretary David Blunkett in February 2002 and that the Identity Cards Programme Team started to be brought together around June 2003
c.f.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmhaff/130/3121102.htm
Since your letter refers to the "Head of Marketing", does this mean that this position has not yet been filled, or that the appointed person has not yet taken up his or her post advertised in October 2004 ?Please 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 about Friday 25th February 2005
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
If you require any further clarification of this request please contact me as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely
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