Vaccine damage payments

Summary

The requester asked for statistics on vaccine damage payments made by the Isle of Man government since 2010, but the Department of Health and Social Care stated it does not hold this information.

Key Facts

• The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme is a UK Government scheme covering both the UK and the Isle of Man.
• The Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care does not contribute to the scheme nor receive data on claimants.
• Applications for payments are made directly to the UK scheme, not to the Isle of Man Department.
• The request was refused under section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 as a practical refusal.
• The requester agreed to limit the data timeframe to October 11, 2011, but no data was available for that period either.

Data Disclosed

• 2010
• 11th October 2011
• 2019-12-08
• 2019-12-23
• 1066361

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information not held)

Original Request

1. I would like to know the total amount of money has the Isle of Man government given to families since 2010 for vaccine injury. 2. I would like to know how many families have received compensation. 3. How many families have tried to claim and had their requests refused. 4. I would like a breakdown of the total amounts for each year Since 2010. Clarification sought: Question 1 - Can you confirm when you state "Isle of Man Government" do you mean the Department of Health & Social Care? Question 4 - FOI requests are available from the 11th October 2011, is this time frame acceptable for your query? Response: 'Yes I do mean the department of health and that time frame is ok for my query'.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Interim Chief Executive: Angela Murray Freedom of Information Team Department of Health & Social Care Chief Executive’s Office Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3QA Tel/; (01624) 642621 Email: dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc

Our ref: 1066361 23rd December 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on the 8th November 2019 and states:

"1. I would like to know the total amount of money has the Isle of Man government given to families since 2010 for vaccine injury. 2. I would like to know how many families have received compensation. 3. How many families have tried to claim and had their requests refused. 4. I would like a breakdown of the total amounts for each year Since 2010. Clarification sought: Question 1 - Can you confirm when you state "Isle of Man Government" do you mean the Department of Health & Social Care? Question 4 - FOI requests are available from the 11th October 2011, is this time frame acceptable for your query? Response: 'Yes I do mean the department of health and that time frame is ok for my query'."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme is a UK Government Scheme which covers vaccinations delivered in the UK and the Isle of Man. The Department’s Public Health Division (PH) does not make any contribution to this scheme. Applications are not made to DHSC/PH, nor does the UK government scheme provide data on IOM claimants back to us In order to provide advice and assistance we have provided the information below for the UK Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. Requests for consideration of payment under the scheme (which is expressly not a ‘compensation scheme’) are made direct to the scheme by the claimant (or parent/guardian/carer).
The website address for the UK Government “Vaccine Damage Payment” is
https://www.gov.uk/vaccine-damage-payment you may find this useful for your query.

Please quote the reference number 1066361 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely