I'm being a pedant here (many would argue that this is a DP / FOI officer's
main function), but if you phoned the Trading Standards department, you
shouldn't expect anything under FOI because you didn't put the request in
writing. If someone wanted information like that from us, I would expect our
Trading Standards equivalent to have a look at the Commercial Prejudice
exemption and then give you what you were entitled to. If your local office
didn't immediately advise you to write in, it's a pretty poor show. I
wouldn't say that because of FOI, everything should be available
automatically, but the advice and assistance provisions alone should have
seen you given a less obtuse response than the one you describe. I'm sure
everyone has encountered the use of "Data Protection" as a euphemism for "I
can't be bothered" over the years, but I would hate to see FOI being sullied
in the same fashion.
Tim Turner
Wigan Council
> ----------
> From: Tim Trent[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Reply To: Tim Trent
> Sent: 28 February 2005 12:58
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [data-protection] Interesting DP response
>
> I am about to buy a kitchen. OK, nothing unusual in that. But I did a
> net
> search on the kitchen company recommended by friends only to discover a
> huge
> tranche of adverse net comment. I mean HUGE.
>
> Do bear in mind I am now asking questions about a company, not an
> individual.
>
> So I phoned the Trading Standards office of my local council "I'm sorry,
> sir. We don;t have a 'naming and shaming policy' here." Hmm. Now isn't
> that FOI?
>
> They did suggest I phoned the OFT. "I can't give you that information,
> sir.
> The Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act stop me"
>
> Anyone else perplexed?
>
>
>
> Tim Trent - Consultant
> Direct: +44(0)1344 392644 Mobile:+44(0)7710 126618
> email: [log in to unmask]
> <blocked::mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Marketing Improvement Limited, Abbey House, Grenville Place, Bracknell,
> United Kingdom, RG12 1BP <blocked::http://www.marketingimprovement.com/>
> http://www.marketingimprovement.com
>
>
>
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