It is a good idea for requesters to make clear that there request is an FoI
request, but under the legislation, of certainly the way I understand it,
any request for information to a public organisation must be treated as an
FoI request.
I can hand a request for information at my local library without mentioning
FoI and that is an "FoI request".
Now, of course, if the librarian says I can provide that information here
and now, it is highly unlikely that the request is going to be logged as a
an "FoI request".
This is why all staff at an organisation must be made aware of FoI, and that
is why there must be procedures in place for processing requests that are
received anywhere in the organisation.
Indeed the requester doesn't have to heard of FoI, but I believe that if
subsequently to a request for information they discovered that there was an
FoI Act and that the request should have been dealt with differently that
person might also want to complain.
FoI is not just for readers of The Independent and The Guardian.
Nick Landau
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ibrahim Hasan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: [data-protection] "Please may I speak to your Privacy Officer?"
> This seems a good idea. It may lead to requests being dealt with
> properly by the appropriate person. Although technically there is no
> requirement under the legislation (FOI and DP) to label a request as
> such.
>
> Incidentally, my brother manages a call centre for a large utility
> company. He says that staff there are given no worthwhile training on
> DP. Even the legal department only has superficial knowledge!
>
> I usually end up answering his queries.
>
> Ibrahim Hasan
> Act Now Training
> www.actnow.org.uk
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ekin Caglar
> Sent: 16 February 2006 09:59
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [data-protection] "Please may I speak to your Privacy
> Officer?"
>
> After the BT hassle, we thought about starting a campaign to help all of
> us
> with information requests: Any request for information under DPA or FOIA
> could have some sort of an identifier, e.g. the message "FOI Request" on
> the
> envelope/email subject/etc, and the staff trained to send anything with
> that
> message straight to the Information Governance Manager or somebody in an
> equivalent position.
>
> No call centre I have ever been in touch with knew anything about DPA,
> and
> it is even worse for FOI (as requests can come in to ANY member of
> staff).
>
> Ekin
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Trent
> Sent: 15 February 2006 16:56
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [data-protection] "Please may I speak to your Privacy Officer?"
>
> Over the past couple of days I and a co-researcher have been sampling
> FTSE100 corporations and the ability of their switchboards to handle a
> very
> simple enquiry from a member of the public.
>
> We asked: "Please may I speak to your Privacy Officer - the person who
> looks
> after Data Protection?" At that point, though we were friendly, we
> watched
> as we were put through to strange places in the organisations. One
> organisation put us through to Profit Protection (the anti shoplifting
> squad!).
>
> While we will be featuring the report in a newsletter shortly I wanted
> to
> share it with all of you first. I have placed it on our website at a
> parlously long link, so I am using "tiny" to shorten it for ease of
> downloading <http://tinyurl.com/a9c3d> http://tinyurl.com/a9c3d It's
> about
> a 200KB pdf file
>
> As is our usual practice the report is free of charge in the membership
> area
> of our site. You will be asked to enter your email address, and to
> register
> if you are not already a member. As you would expect you are also free
> to
> unsubscribe at any time.
>
> I hope you find it useful. If you pass it on, please pass the link
> rather
> than the document. But that is up to you entirely.
>
>
>
> 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,
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