Hi,
This is my first post - I'm studying for a Masters in Records Management at
Aberystwyth whilst holding down a day job at teh Government Office for the
South East.
Could someone with a bit of detailed FOI knowledge provide any guidance on
the following?
We have commissioned one of the organisations which we fund to carry out
some research. Some (but not all) of the questionaires completed as part
of this research were done so 'in confidence' I don't have any detailed
info as to the definition of 'in confidence'.
Some of our other partners would doubtlessly find the information in the
questionnaires useful for their business planning and I would like to be
able to provide it to them. However my managers have got themselves into a
state over the 'in confidence' bit and have said that in order to avoid (!)
disclosing under FOI we should just give the information back to the
organisation who carried out the work.
I think this is wrong because :
a) We commissioned and paid for the research, so we own the information
anyway, and
b)We fund the organisation that carried out the work (public money) so
surely they would fall under FOI anyway (they're a registered charity)
Any help on or off list gratefully received!
Alison
Alison Milsom-Smith
Infrastructure Investment Manager
01483 885127
[log in to unmask]
Government Office for the South East
Bridge House
Walnut Tree Close
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4GA
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