Temporary Workers Employed via Agencies

Summary

The requester asked for a breakdown of temporary agency workers by grade for 2023 and 2024, but the Department of Education, Sport and Culture stated it was not required to perform the necessary analysis under the FOI Act. Despite refusing the specific breakdown, the department voluntarily disclosed that 17 temporary workers were employed via agencies between January 2023 and August 2024.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 2024-09-09 and responded to on 2024-10-04.
• The authority is the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.
• The department refused to provide the requested breakdown by grade as it would require research or analysis not mandated by the Act.
• The department voluntarily provided a total count of 17 temporary agency workers for the period 1st January 2023 to 30th August 2024.
• The requester has the right to an internal review or appeal to the Information Commissioner.

Data Disclosed

• 17
• 2023
• 2024
• 1st January 2023
• 30th August 2024
• 2024-09-09
• 2024-10-04
• 4110735

Exemptions Cited

• Not required to undertake research or analysis of information held under the Freedom of Information Act 2015

Original Request

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act and would be grateful if you could provide the following details: The number of temporary workers engaged by the department by third party recruitment agencies for the following periods, 2023 & 2024 please could these be broken down by grade, AA, AO, Secretary, EO etc.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808
Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4110735 04 October 2024

Dear ###

This request is being handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

We write further to your request received 9 September 2024, which states:

"I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act and would be grateful if you could provide the following details:

The number of temporary workers engaged by the department by third party recruitment agencies for the following periods, 2023 & 2024 please could these be broken down by grade, AA, AO, Secretary, EO etc."

Our response to your request is as follows:
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, complying with your request for information would require Department of Education, Sport and Culture to undertake research into, or analysis or, information that it holds which Department of Education, Sport and Culture is not required to do under the Act. For these reasons the Department of Education, Sport and Culture is not obliged to comply with your request. By way of advice and assistance based on the information that is held, the number of temporary workers employed, via recruitment agencies, within the Department of Education, Sport and Culture between 1st January 2023 – 30th August 2024 is 17. Please quote the reference number 4110735 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.