Bus Vannin Private Hire Activities

Summary

A request was made for detailed financial and operational data regarding Bus Vannin's private hire activities from January 2019 to 2021, but no information was disclosed.

Key Facts

• The Department of Infrastructure received the request on 24 June 2021.
• The authority determined that all requested information was held but exempt from disclosure.
• The exemption was applied because the information is required for an ongoing investigation by the Office of Fair Trading.
• The public interest test concluded that withholding information was necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation.
• The response was issued on 6 July 2021.

Data Disclosed

• 24 June 2021
• 6 July 2021
• 01 January 2019
• 11pm
• section 31

Exemptions Cited

• Section 31 of the Act (Law Enforcement)

Original Request

Dear Sir/Madam I am requesting information in regards to the private hire business activities of BusVannin, in particular: From 01 January 2019 until now, how many Private Hire bookings, meaning bookings where Bus Vannin vehicles were hired for pay or reward and used outside of regularly scheduled services or routes, did Bus Vannin accept and carry out? Please list the information as detailed as possible preferably by month and week / day. Please also split it by how many bookings started and ended before 11pm and how many bookings started and ended at or after 11pm or later. Please list how many vehicles and the different types of vehicles used (I.e. Minibus, full size bus, double decker). Please list the types of private hire bookings carried out from 01 January 2019 until now, for example how many weddings, private transfers (airport or elsewhere), private functions, etc. Please list the rates for private hire bookings in as much detail as possible including per vehicle / hour / event / time. Essentially, please provide a very detailed rate card covering the above mentioned time frame. If rates changed during this time, please provide all rates and when they changed. Please list the running costs for private hire bookings in as much detail as possible including per vehicle / hour / event / time / driver cost. Please provide the turnover, gross and net profit generated through Private Hire bookings from 01 January 2019 until now, or as closely to now as is practical due to accounting procedures. Please provide information on who manages Private Hire bookings, including who is setting prices and how these prices are determined / benchmarked. Please provide information on any assessment that may have been carried out in regards to the impact Bus Vannin Private Hire business has, has had in the past, or may have in the future, on Private Hire and taxi businesses in the private sector and if this aspect was and is being considered as part of Bus Vannin's private hire business plan.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Contact: FOI Response Team/IB/MF Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: dpo-doi@gov.im

Our ref: 1868557 6 July 2021

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 24 June 2021 and which states:

"I am requesting information in regards to the private hire business activities of BusVannin, in particular: From 01 January 2019 until now, how many Private Hire bookings, meaning bookings where Bus Vannin vehicles were hired for pay or reward and used outside of regularly scheduled services or routes, did Bus Vannin accept and carry out? Please list the information as detailed as possible preferably by month and week / day. Please also split it by how many bookings started and ended before 11pm and how many bookings started and ended at or after 11pm or later. Please list how many vehicles and the different types of vehicles used (I.e. Minibus, full size bus, double decker). Please list the types of private hire bookings carried out from 01 January 2019 until now, for example how many weddings, private transfers (airport or elsewhere), private functions, etc. Please list the rates for private hire bookings in as much detail as possible including per vehicle / hour / event / time. Essentially, please provide a very detailed rate card covering the above mentioned time frame. If rates changed during this time, please provide all rates and when they changed. Please list the running costs for private hire bookings in as much detail as possible including per vehicle / hour / event / time / driver cost. Please provide the turnover, gross and net profit generated through Private Hire bookings from 01 January 2019 until now, or as closely to now as is practical due to accounting procedures. Please provide information on who manages Private Hire bookings, including who is setting prices and how these prices are determined / benchmarked. Please provide information on any assessment that may have been carried out in regards to the impact Bus Vannin Private Hire business has, has had in the past, or may have in the future, on Private Hire and taxi businesses in the private sector and if this aspect was and is being considered as part of Bus Vannin's private hire business plan."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance all of the information requested is exempt from disclosure pursuant to section 31 of the Act as the information is or may be required in an ongoing investigation by the Office of Fair Trading. This is a qualified exemption and therefore subject to a public interest test. In assessing where the public interest lies, the following factors have been considered: Factors in favour of disclosure • Transparency and openness by disclosing the information • Justifiable concern about an investigation Factors in favour of withholding • Public confidence requires processes to deliver justice effectively • Law enforcement could be jeopardised and the integrity and effectiveness of the investigation undermined • Disclosure could affect the willingness of individuals to give evidence • Revealing information from confidential sources now may affect future confidential sources coming forward • Early disclosure can affect the value of information obtained from confidential • sources • While investigations and prosecutions are ongoing, public authorities require a safe space in which to operate and premature disclosure would present problems for the judicial process • The stage the investigation is at • The outcome of an investigation or proceeding will be at risk In taking these factors into account the Department has determined that the factors in favour of maintaining the exemption outweigh the factors in favour of disclosing the information. Please quote the reference number 1868557 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 us and we 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 us. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. We will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

FOI Response Team