Request
Under Freedom of Information Act, I would like to request the following information:
1. The annual departmental spend on the procurement of goods and services for each year from 2015-2023
2. The percentage of annual departmental procurement spend on good and services that went through frameworks for each year from 2015-2023
3. The percentage of annual departmental procurement spend that was directly awarded through a framework for each year from 2015-2023
If possible, we would also like to know the following (if data is available):
4. The annual departmental spend on the procurement of services only for each year from 2015-2023
5. The percentage of annual departmental procurement spend on services only that went through frameworks for each year from 2015-2023
6. Each framework operator your department used and the annual procurement spend on goods and services through each (for each year from 2015-2023)
7. Each framework operator your department used and the total procurement spend on services only through each (for each year from 2015-2023)
If each year from 2015 to 2023 isn’t possible, just the most recent full year would be great.
Note: On 29th January 2024 you further clarified that the meaning of ‘department’ was The National Archives, and that you were requesting information on calendar years rather than financial years.
Outcome
Some information provided.
Response
The National Archives’ annual expenditure on goods and services is covered by the exemption at section 21 of the FOI Act. This information is published online and covers the following financial years (please note, we do not hold data for calendar years):
The National Archives Annual Report 2022-2023
The National Archives Annual Report 2012-2022
The National Archives Annual Report 2020-2021
The National Archives Annual Report 2019-2020
The National Archives Annual Report 2018-2019
The National Archives Annual Report 2017-2018
The National Archives Annual Report 2016-2017
The National Archives Annual Report 2015-2016
The National Archives Annual Report 2014-2015
Information covering the remainder of the 2023 calendar year is exempt under section 22 of the FOI Act. This is because this information is due to be published in the 2023-2024 financial year Annual Report.
We do not hold information on the percentage of expenditure via frameworks, as we don’t track expenditure in this way. However, please note that information on contracts awarded via frameworks is already published on the Contracts Finder website. The information published on Contracts Finder also includes the name of each awarded framework supplier.
Explanatory annexe
Exemptions applied
Section 21: Information readily available to the applicant by other means
Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) does not oblige a public authority to provide information if it is already reasonably accessible by other means.
Further guidance on the application of this exemption can be found at: Section 21 – Information already reasonably accessible | ICO
Section 22: Information intended for future publication
Section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) exempts from release information intended for future publication if (a) the information is held by the public authority with a view to its publication, by the authority or any other person, at some future date (whether determined or not), or (b) the information was already held with a view to such publication at the time when the request for information was made, and or (c) it is reasonable in all the circumstances that the information should be withheld from disclosure until the date referred to in paragraph (a).
Section 22 is a qualified exemption and we are required to conduct a Public Interest Test (PIT) when applying any qualified exemption. This means that after it has been decided that the exemption is engaged, the public interest in releasing the information must be considered. If the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in withholding it then the exemption does not apply and the information must be released. In the FOIA there is a presumption that information should be released unless there are compelling reasons to withhold it.
We have considered whether it would be in the public interest for us to provide you with the information ahead of publication, despite the exemption being applicable. Please find below the reasoning for and against disclosure.
Arguments in favour of disclosure:
Disclosure of the requested information would demonstrate The National Archives’ commitment to being a transparent and accountable organisation and would increase public awareness of the work of the archives sector.
Releasing information at the current time would allow for discussion on public expenditure and would consequently enable and enrich public debate.
Arguments against disclosure:
Arguments against disclosure of this information at the present time include that it is in the public interest to adhere to the existing publication process, which requires time for the information to be gathered and properly verified before being placed in the public domain. In this respect there is also the burden on the public authority to consider, as additional resource would be required to disclose this information prematurely.
It is also in the public interest to ensure that the information is available to all members of the public at the same time, and premature publication could undermine the principle of making the information available to all at the same time through the official publication process.
Outcome:
On this occasion, we have concluded that the balance of the public interest test falls in favour of withholding this information.
Further guidance on the application of this exemption can be found at:
Section 22 – Information intended for future publication | ICO