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Freedom of Information

Volume 447: debated on Monday 19 June 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate how many (a) health Department and (b) NHS personnel in the Province are employed on processing requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. (77240)

Four staff in the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and 30 staff in health and personal social services bodies are involved in processing requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In addition, in order to respond to particular requests for information, these staff are assisted, as appropriate, by staff from across the Department or the health and personal social services bodies. Information is not available on the amount of time spent on processing freedom of information requests but it represents only a small proportion of the total working time of the staff involved.