MAKING A REQUEST
HOW TO REQUEST INFORMATION
When making a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI Act), you must:
- Make a request in writing, by email or by letter;
- Describe clearly and as precisely as possible what information is required providing as much details in order to help ECGD to find it; and
- State your name and address for correspondence.
FOI Act is 'purpose blind'. This means that decisions on whether information should be disclosed or withheld will not take into account why you want the information which you have requested.
CONTACT DETAILS
Requests for information should be made to:
- Email: information.access@ecgd.gsi.gov.uk
- Fax: + 00 44 (0) 20 7512 7649
- Post:
Information Officers
ECGD Communications
PO Box 2200
2 Exchange Tower
Harbour Exchange Square
London E14 9GS
Most requests for information are currently received and responded to via email. However, if you would prefer information in a certain format (such as a photocopy or a computer disk) then this should be stated in your application. This may involve the payment of a fee.
FEES
There is a large amount of information available on this website which is free to download. ECGD can supply paper copies of most of the information contained on the website on request, although ECGD reserves the right to charge a fee to cover costs of photocopying, formatting, postage and so forth.
ASSISTANCE
If you have difficulty in identifying the precise information that you require, or in applying for it in writing, please call ECGD's Senior Information Officer on 020 7512 7319 or ECGD’s Information Officers on 0207 512 extensions: 7101/7015.
ECGD will aim to reply to your request within 20 working days of receiving it. ECGD's reply will confirm or deny whether ECGD holds the information which you have requested and either provide that information, or explain why it has not been provided, quoting any relevant statutory exemptions.
To view PDF files, download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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REQUEST FOR PERSONAL DATA
Under the Data Protection Act 1998("DPA"), you may request personal data relating to yourself. If you want to ask whether ECGD holds any personal information about you, you should write to the address above and supply proof of your identity, including a photocopy of the identification pages of a current utility bill, or of a credit card or bank statement, which includes your name and current address.
More information about the DPA can be found on the Information Commissioner's Office website at http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_protection.aspx
COMPLAINTS
If you are not satisfied with ECGD's response to your enquiry you may seek an internal review of that decision. That review will be carried out by a senior member of staff, who has not previously been involved with your request. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to:
- Senior Information Officer
ECGD
PO Box 2200
2 Exchange Tower
Harbour Exchange Square
London E14 9GS
ECGD aims to provide the results of internal reviews within 4 to 6 weeks. If detailed investigations are needed that take longer than this, ECGD will keep complainants informed of progress.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the internal review, then you may ask the Information Commissioner to take up your complaint. See www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk for further information.
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