Archival records related to ‘intelligence matters’

Request

1. Between 1 January 2024 and the date of this request, how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 did The National Archives receive seeking access to records, extracts, or folios that were partially or wholly closed, related to intelligence matters, and had been transferred from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Cabinet Office, or the Prime Minister’s Office anytime between 1950 and 1990?
2. Of the requests identified under point 1 above, how many were wholly or partially refused or denied? How many were wholly or partially successful?
3. Of the requests identified under point 1 above, how many required a public interest test to be carried out? In how many did you find that the balance favoured withholding the requested information, and in how many did you find that the balance favoured releasing the requested information?

Outcome

Request refused.

Response

We are unable to process your request because the cost of compliance exceeds the appropriate limit under section 12 of the Act. For further information about section 12, please see the explanatory annex at the end of this letter.

Although it is estimated that your request at present would exceed the cost limit for compliance (as detailed in the annex below), it may be possible for us to provide a substantive answer to a refined request.

When the cost limit is estimated to be exceeded, a public authority must provide advice under section 16, on potential means to refine a request that has been refused.

We have identified two possible means by which your request could be further refined.

Firstly, you may wish to consider reducing the timeframe covered for which FOI requests were received by The National Archives. We do not typically hold information on record titles (only document references) within the exportable data in our FOI case management system, and we would therefore have to manually check the catalogue titles for all archival record FOI requests received individually.

Secondly, you may wish to consider not including the transfer date of a record as a criteria. To verify the transfer date of any relevant record requires additional manual verification. However, if the timeframe of your request (see above) is reduced, it may not in itself be a factor that prevents the processing of your request.

You may wish to consider refining your request, however please note that we are unable to guarantee that any refined requests would fall within the cost limit.

Annexe

Exemptions applied

Section 12: Exemption where cost of compliance exceeds appropriate limit

Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed an appropriate limit, which for central government departments like The National Archives, is set at £600. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending just over three working days determining whether the department holds the information, as well as locating, retrieving and extracting the information.

We estimate that it will take us in excess of this time to identify the appropriate information, and locate, retrieve and extract it as the scope of your request is so wide-ranging. Therefore, your request will not at this time be processed further.

Further guidance on the application of this exemption can be found on the ICO website.