Departmental Freedom of Information

Mr. Maude
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2010, Official Report, column 1140W, on departmental correspondence, what her Department’s policy is on the target for providing (a) an acknowledgement and (b) a substantive response to a request made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Tessa Jowell
Requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are handled in accordance with the Act. Section 10 of the Act deals with the time for compliance with requests. Requests must be responded to promptly or in any event not later than 20 working days following receipt. In certain circumstances this 20 working day deadline can be extended.