I am not quite sure that the ICO might understand how such an enquiry might
be serviced.
In practice, what they say might be the case - if one is talking to
someone - but I think that the identity of the requester needs to be given
to the actual individual(s) who are going to service the request - not
potential servicers.
After all, one might ask quite a few people before one identifies the actual
person/department which is going to service or attempt to service the
request.
It really should be on a need to know basis.
Nick Landau
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Hughes" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 11:16 AM
Subject: [data-protection] FW: [data-protection] Anonymity when making FOI
requests of your own organisation
>I had a similar situation recently and phoned the ICO for advice. They said
> they thought it was reasonable to disclose the identity of the person
> making
> the request to those within the organisation whom it is necessary to
> contact
> to obtain the information being requested. Until then I had been keeping
> identities of all requestors to myself (whether internal or external) but
> now I use a standard phrase when contacting others within the Trust along
> the lines of "We have received an FOI request from a Mr V Meldrew of
> Surbiton as follows: ...." If I am subsequently asked whether or not that
> person is a member of staff I will reply one way or the other, but don't
> offer the information.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carter, Antoinette (MCS)
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>
> Sent: 30 May 2006 11:03
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [data-protection] Anonymity when making FOI requests of your
> own organisation
>
>
> The member of staff could have submitted their request anonymously but has
> chosen not to. I therefore think that it is perfectly reasonable for you
> to
> identify the requester to whoever you need to contact in order to answer
> the
> request irrespective of any "awkwardness" it may cause. I'm sure managers
> have worse to deal with...?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Graeme Hawley
> Sent: 30 May 2006 10:56
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [data-protection] Anonymity when making FOI requests of your own
> organisation
>
> Hi,
>
> What is the score when an employee makes an FOI request of their own
> organisation? I am the FOI officer at our organisation, and have received
> a
> request for info from a member of staff. They have supplied their name
> and
> email address. I am pretty sure that in gathering the information for
> this,
> senior management will ask who this has come from. There isn't usually a
> problem when it is external, and I can say something like "a jounalist
> from
> the Telegraph", but it will be clear from the nature of the question that
> this has come from inside. Despite being the FOI officer, a request made
> for information isn't made personally to me, but rather to the
> organisation.
> I am just the guy that handles them. However, in order to satisfy the
> request, there is no need for anyone else to know the identity of the
> applicant. On the other hand, the organisation itself has received this
> request, so who am I to say who else in the organisation should or
> shouldn't
> know? I feel that if the management knew the identity of the applicant it
> may cause awkwardness for them (damage and distress).
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions. In order to withhold the member of
> staff's name I think I need some sort of refernece from the DPA. FOISA
> doesn't say anything about this.
>
> Cheers
> Graeme
>
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