Under the Code of Practice, complaints that information which should have been under the Code has not been provided, or that unreasonable charges have been demanded, should be made first to the department or body concerned. Internal review procedures for departments, agencies and other public bodies mentioned in this report are set out below.
| Department/Public Body |
Internal Review Procedures |
| Cabinet Office |
- Reviews carried out by Permanent Secretary or Agency Chief Executive
- Target response is 20 working days
|
| Central Office of Information |
- No internal review procedure
|
| Constitutional Affairs (formerly the Lord Chancellor's Department) |
- Reviews carried out by the Head of the appropriate Division and
decision approved by Permanent Secretary
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Charity Commission |
- Review carried out by Open Government Officer
- Target response is 20 working days
|
| Culture, Media & Sport |
- Reviews carried out by the relevant Division and cleared at Grade
A level referring upwards if necessary
- Target response 10 working days
|
| Defence |
- Reviews carried out by Director of Information Exploitation (D info
(Exp))
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Education and Skills |
- Reviews carried out by a Team Leader or above of another team unconnected
with original enquiry
- Target response 15 working days
|
| English Nature |
- Reviews carried out by General Manager
|
| Environmental Agency |
- The agency is reviewing its Management System for reviews and complaints.
The review has taken into account the requirements of the Freedom
of Information Act
|
| Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
- Reviews carried out by the Head of the Open Government Citizens
Charter Unit
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Export Credits Guarantee Department |
- Reviews carries out by a Senior Member of ECGD staff, usually at
Director (G5) level who had had no previous involvement with the enquiry
|
| Food Standards Agency |
- As recommended under the Guidance to the COP on Access to Government
Information, the FSA have a single tier process. Any such requests
for review are examined by the FSA Complaints Co-ordinator for reply
and resolution
|
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office |
- Reviews carried out by lead department but final decision taken
by a senior official not previously involved, or referred to the Permanent
Under Secretary or Ministers as appropriate
|
| Forestry Commission |
- Reviews carried out by Secretary to the Forestry Commissioner
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Health |
- Reviews carried out by Complaints and Clinical Negligence Policy
Team
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Health & Safety Executive |
- Reviews carried out by Health and Safety Complaints Panel. Panel
comprises a member of the Executive, another senior member of HSE
- Target response 6 weeks
|
| HM Customs & Excise |
- Reviews carried our by Senior Management within the same area, but
not by someone involved in the original decision
- Target response 20 working days
|
| HM Land Registry |
- Requests referred to Agency's Corporate Services Lawyer and any
review would be carried out by the solicitor to HMLR, the Land Registry's
principle legal officer who fulfils the legal and judicial functions
of the Chief Land Registrar
|
| HM Treasury |
- Reviews carried out by a member of the Management Board from a different
division from that which made the original decision
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Home Office |
- Reviews carried out by Record Management Services
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Information Commissioner |
|
| Inland Revenue |
- Reviews carried out by the Controller responsible for the office
or unit which dealt with the original request
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Insolvency Service |
- Reviews carried out by the Director of the appropriate policy area
if the official (and his/her line manager) wish to uphold their original
decision
- Target response 20 working days
|
| International Development |
- Reviews co-ordinated by the Information and Civil Society Department
- Target response 20 working days
|
| The National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office) |
- Review carried out by the Head of the appropriate Division
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Northern Ireland Office |
- Reviews carried out by relevant Director, Chief Executive or Head
of the Legal Office
- Target response 20 working days
|
| OFGEM |
- The internal review procedure is currently being reviewed
|
| Office of the Deputy Prime Minister/DfT |
- Reviews carried out by the appropriate Division or Information
Management Division
|
| Office of Fair Trading |
- We do not have an internal review procedure currently in place.
This is because of the extremely low level of Code requests we receive.
|
| Office of Government Commerce |
- The procedures are to be developed to support the OGC Publications
Scheme available on the OGC website
|
| Office of National Statistics |
- Reviews carried out by Chief Executive
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Office of the Rail Regulator |
- Reviews carried out by someone of a senior rank whose staff were
not involved in the original decision
|
| Office of Telecommunications |
- Where practicable, the complaints procedure should be handled by
a person who was not a party to the original decision.
|
| OFSTED |
- Reviews carried out by Compliance Team in the Corporate Services
Group
- Target response 20 working days
|
| The Ordnance Survey |
- Reviews Carried out by the Assistant to the Director General. Composition
of Review boards determined by product or service in question
- Target response 3 weeks
|
| The Planning Inspectorate |
- Reviews carried out by the information access policy manager independent
on the business unit making the original decision
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Qualifications and Curriculum Authority |
- There is no current formalised internal review procedure, but this
will be addressed during preparations for FOI
|
| Radiocommunications Agency |
- Reviews carried out by Director General of the appropriate policy
area if the official (and his/her line manager) wish to uphold their
original decision)
- Target response 20 working days
|
| The Royal Mint |
- Reviews carried out by Director of Human Resources and Corporate
Affairs
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Scotland Office |
- Reviews carried out by a senior ranking official who was not involved
in the original decision
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Trade & Industry |
- Reviews carried out by Director General of the appropriate policy
area if the official (and his/her line manager) wish to uphold their
original decision
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Treasury Solicitor's Department |
- Reviews carried out by Treasury Solicitor
- Target response 20 working days
|
| Wales Office |
- All policies and practices are under constant review and improvement
|
| Work & Pensions |
- Reviews carried out by someone of senior rank within the same area
but who had no involvement in the original decision
- Target response 20 working days
|
