Freedom of Information Request for HMRC statistics on contractors

[LondonManc]

I can confirm that HMRC holds information that falls within the description specified in your request. However, we estimate that the cost of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate limit of £600. The appropriate limit is specified in regulations and for central government is set at £600. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 3½ working days determining if the department holds the information

At the start of that paragraph, they state they have the information that falls within the description specified. Then they state that it would exceed 3½ working days to determine if they hold the information. They've not got their ducks in a row, that's for sure.

[northernladuk]

At the start of that paragraph, they state they have hold information that falls within the description specified. Then they state that it would exceed 3½ working days to determine if they hold the information. They've not got their ducks in a row, that's for sure.

To be fair looking at many of the FOI requests i am surprised so many are fulfilled within a reasonable timescale and accuracy. The time it takes to get anything done in gov organisations is a pain so turning some of the more complex ones is pretty impressive.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

This sent today:

HMRC are proposing legislation in the form of changes to tax relief on Travel and Subsistence and also IR35 and they have stated that the changes are required as the Treasury have been negatively financially impacted. In order to make the assertion one assumes that studies have been conducted and an analysis produced to support it; the request put forward is merely asking for part of the information contained within such an analysis. Therefore, I fail to see why such a request would take in excess of 3.5 working days to fulfil and would ask, respectfully, that it be revisited.

[smatty]

Isn't #2 (PSCs) a specific question on the tax return for the last few years? Should be a single database query to give you that number....

[mudskipper]

This sent today:

HMRC are proposing legislation in the form of changes to tax relief on Travel and Subsistence and also IR35 and they have stated that the changes are required as the Treasury have been negatively financially impacted. In order to make the assertion one assumes that studies have been conducted and an analysis produced to support it; the request put forward is merely asking for part of the information contained within such an analysis. Therefore, I fail to see why such a request would take in excess of 3.5 working days to fulfil and would ask, respectfully, that it be revisited.

Is there any option for individuals or organisations to pay for the FOI request where the cost is justifiably over £600?

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Is there any option for individuals or organisations to pay for the FOI request where the cost is justifiably over £600?

It didn't come up as an option

[centurian]

To be fair looking at many of the FOI requests i am surprised so many are fulfilled within a reasonable timescale and accuracy. The time it takes to get anything done in gov organisations is a pain so turning some of the more complex ones is pretty impressive.

WHS

Here's how a public sector shop uses the £600 excuse

2 hours for FOI team to process the original request
4 hours for the appropriate department to do a high level investigation as to whether they hold the information.
1 hour for the department manager to plan the request
4 hours allocate to process the actual request
2 hours for peer level review
2 hours for informatics head review of the release of the information
2 hours for the FOI team to review and respond

Basis cost is £36ph - approx 50K per year with pension and employers NI and other costs included - this is an average of the 1st level pen pusher, to the expert - probably not that far out.

Total cost = £612 (17 x 36)

Rejected....

Of course, if they want to respond, because it's generally favourable to them, they strangely find a way of doing it < £600

[DaveB]

It didn't come up as an option

https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organis...iate_limit.pdf

If the cost exceeds the appropriate limit thay can choose to release the information and charge the recipient for the costs involved.

Since they know the costs exceed the limit they should know how much it will actually costs. It would not be unreasonable , IMO, to ask for these costs with a view to paying it to obtain the information.

There is also an expectation from the ICO that they should be able to provide cogent information to the applicant on how the costs were arrived at.

https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organis...iate_limit.pdf

Finally, there is always the option to raise the issue with the ICO if HMRC continue to stall.