Freedom of Information Act
How to ask for information
If you want to ask us for information, please send your request in writing to:
Catherine Davies,
Director
Co-operation and Competition Panel
1 Horse Guards Road
London SW1A 2HQ
You can also send a request by email to: [email protected] Please include:
- Your name
- Your return address
- A description of the information that you need.
If you need any help with your request for information, please call or email Catherine Davies on the above email address or on 020 7270 4608.
Transferring requests
If you have asked for information that we believe is held by another government body, it may well be appropriate for you to contact them directly. Alternatively, we might transfer your request to the relevant body.
If we decide to transfer your request, we will first check that the other government body or authority holds the information you have requested. If you want to be notified before we transfer your request, please tell us in your application.
Consultation with third parties
We may need to consult third parties (including other government bodies) in order to reach a decision on whether the requested information can be released. If you want to be notified before we consult a third party about your request, please tell us in your application.
Fees
We may charge a fee for complying with a request for information. This is in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.
The Department for Constitutional Affairs provides guidance on how these regulations are applied, and a summary of the guidance is also available.
You will receive a fees notice that sets out the amount you must pay to the CCP.
If the cost of locating, retrieving and extracting the information is £450 or less, we may charge for photocopying, printing and postage costs. If the cost is more than £450, we are not obliged to comply with your request. However, we will consider whether it is possible to provide any information within the cost ceiling of £450. We will also consider whether it is reasonable to fulfil your request and charge an appropriate fee.
Timescales
Under the Freedom of Information Act, we are required to respond to your request for information within 20 working days of the date on which we receive your request. The Act also makes a number of provisions for extra time to respond:
- The timescale is put on hold if, after initial consideration of your request, a fee is requested. When a request for payment is sent to you, the 20-day working deadline is put on hold and will start running again (from where it stopped, not back to the beginning of the 20 working days) when the fee is received.
- If the information being sought has to be considered under an exemption to which the public interest test applies, then the timescale is extended by a "reasonable period". We will, however, tell you within the 20-day period which exemption(s) we believe apply, and give you an estimate of the date by which we expect to reach a decision about how the exemption will be applied.
Complaints procedure
If you are dissatisfied with our response to your request for information (including a decision to levy a fee) you may discuss the decision with the CCP official who dealt with your request. If this informal discussion does not resolve your complaint, you may complain in writing to:
Department of Health
Room 317
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS
If you are dissatisfied with the Department of Health's decision, you may apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision as to whether we have dealt with your request for information in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. You can write to the Information Commissioner's Office at:
FOI Compliance Team (complaints)
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
You can also call them on 01625 545350.
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