Government Funded Private Education

Summary

The requester asked for annual data on the number of privately educated individuals and associated taxpayer costs over the last five years. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture refused to provide the information directly, citing that it is already reasonably accessible via a Tynwald written answer.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 6 January 2020 and responded to on 31 January 2020.
• The authority is the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.
• Information was withheld under Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 because it is already reasonably accessible.
• The requested data is available in a written answer from the Tynwald sitting on 26 March 2019.
• The specific reference for the data is page 782, question 2.7 of the Hansard record.

Data Disclosed

• 6 January 2020
• 31 January 2020
• 26 March 2019
• page 782
• question 2.7
• 1121425

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information already reasonably accessible)

Original Request

Good Afternoon Please can confirm, on an annual basis, over the last five years how many individuals have been privately educated (primary and secondary) and at what cost to the taxpayer. Kind regards Donna

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 1121425 31st January 2020

Dear ###,

We write further to your request which was received on 6 January 2020 and which states: Please can confirm, on an annual basis, over the last five years how many individuals have been privately educated (primary and secondary) and at what cost to the taxpayer. Our response to your request is as follows:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. By way of advice and assistance the information that you have requested is available in a written answer given at the 26th March 2019 sitting of Tynwald. This can be found on page 782 (question 2.7) of the following link: http://www.tynwald.org.im/business/hansard/20002020/k190326.pdf Please quote the reference number 1121425 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

Freedom of Information Coordinator