Request
I would like the organisation to provide me with the following departmental documents around ICT and corporate procurement.
Many organisations within your region have different document title names:
1. 2023/24 IT Department Documents ;- these types of documents have detailed information on the department’s future plans and strategies. These documents include: ICT Strategy/Plan, ICT Department Plan, ICT Financial Plan
2. ICT Org Chart ;- with names and job titles
3. Corporate Procurement Strategy that covers 2023/24 and more.
For all the documents I have requested, please provide me with the 2023/24 documents, I only want to only receive documents that are live and valid. If the document is a strategic plan (e.g. 2020-2025) that covers a set number of years, please provide me with the 2023 version.
I also require the full version of the documents i have requested, if any parts of the document is missing, please state this in the response
If this cannot be provided, please provide me with information on when this version will be available.
Outcome
Successful/Some information provided.
Response
1. 2023/24 IT Department Documents – these types of documents have detailed information on the department’s future plans and strategies. These documents include: ICT Strategy/Plan, ICT Department Plan, ICT Financial Plan
The 2023/24 IT Department Documents and information is covered by the exemption at Section 21 of the FOI Act. The information is already published in the public domain and can be accessed at the following link: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/freedom-of-information/information-requests/ict-plans-and-strategy-documents-2/
2. ICT Org Chart – with names and job titles
We are unable to provide you with this information because it would identify junior members of staff and as such is exempt from release under section 40(2) of the FOI Act.
It is standard practice to withhold the names of officials below Senior Civil Service level. However, to aid transparency of how our organisation is structured and run, TNA publishes the names of senior staff members (down to the level of Heads of Department) on our website. TNA’s organisational chart can be found here on our website.
3. Corporate Procurement Strategy that covers 2023/24 and more
The National Archives has not published a Corporate Procurement Strategy for 2023/2024. Information on planned, and current, procurements is published on the Contracts Finder and Find a Tender services, as appropriate.
For all the documents I have requested, please provide me with the 2023/24 documents, I only want to only receive documents that are live and valid. If the document is a strategic plan (e.g. 2020-2025) that covers a set number of years, please provide me with the 2023 version. I also require the full version of the documents i have requested, if any parts of the document is missing, please state this in the response. If this cannot be provided, please provide me with information on when this version will be available.
We do not hold information on when any documents will be updated.
Explanatory annex
Exemptions applied
Section 40(2): Personal Information where the applicant is not the data subject
Data Protection Legislation prevents personal information from release if it would be unfair or at odds with the reason why it was collected, or where the subject had officially served notice that releasing it would cause them damage or distress.
In this case the exemption applies because this information represents the personal information of a junior member of staff at The National Archives.
Publishing the names and contact details of junior members of staff is considered an unfair use of personal data. Junior members of staff would have no expectation that information about their positions would be made available in the public domain; to do so would be unfair and contravene Art. 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation. As such, the names, positions and contact details of junior officials are withheld under section 40 (2) of the FOI Act.
Further guidance can be found at:
https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/2619056/s40-personal-information-section-40-regulation-13.pdf
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. In this case the exemption applies because the information is already available.
Further guidance can be found at:
https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1203/information-reasonably-accessible-to-the-applicant-by-other-means-sec21.pdf