Provision of Newspapers to Deemsters/Magistrates

Summary

A request for details on newspaper purchases for Deemsters and Magistrates was partially fulfilled, disclosing specific titles, quantities, and costs, while the reasons for providing physical copies were withheld as information not held.

Key Facts

• Newspapers are supplied to members of the judiciary but not to Magistrates.
• The Times is purchased five times daily, while The Examiner and The Independent are purchased five times weekly.
• Two local newspapers are also supplied twice weekly to one officer in another General Registry department.
• Newspapers are collected daily by court staff rather than delivered.
• The authority does not hold information regarding the specific reasons for providing newspapers or choosing physical copies over digital subscriptions.

Data Disclosed

• 4235201
• 2024-11-05
• 2024-11-25
• 5 per day
• 5 per week
• 2 per week
• £4,628
• £89 per week
• 11(3)(a)

Exemptions Cited

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

Original Request

Please provide information on what newspapers (both local and national) and how many are purchased for the Deemsters/Magistrates each week, including the cost for the last 12 months. Does the cost include delivery, otherwise what is the process for these being purchased? For what reason are newspapers provided to the Deemsters/Magistrates? Please provide the reason for physical copies being purchased rather than digital subscription. Finally, are newspapers also purchased for any other departments within General Registry? If so, please provide the same details for each department.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

M. #####

General Registry Oik- Recortyssee Chief Registrar
Stuart Quayle

Isle of Man Courts of Justice Deemsters Walk, Bucks Road Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 3AR

Telephone: (01624) 685979 Email:DPO- GenReg@gov.im

Our ref: 4235201 25 November 2024

Dear M. #####

We write further to your request, received 5 November 2024, which states:

"Please provide information on what newspapers (both local and national) and how many are purchased for the Deemsters/Magistrates each week, including the cost for the last 12 months.

Does the cost include delivery, otherwise what is the process for these being purchased?

For what reason are newspapers provided to the Deemsters/Magistrates?

Please provide the reason for physical copies being purchased rather than digital subscription.

Finally, are newspapers also purchased for any other departments within General Registry? If so, please provide the same details for each department."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested; described as a practical refusal reason 11(3)(a) under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. The information not held applies to the part of your question: “For what reason are newspapers provided to the Deemsters/Magistrates? Please provide the reason for physical copies being purchased rather than digital subscription”.

I have detailed below the information that is held and applies to the remainder of your questions:

“The Times” x 5 (five) per day – (National) “The Examiner” x 5 (five) per week – (Local) “The Independent” x 5 (five) per week (Local) The above newspapers are supplied to members of the judiciary and 2 (two) local newspapers are supplied twice a week to 1 (one) officer located in another department within the General Registry. No newspapers are supplied to Magistrates. The cost for the last 12 months is approximately £4,628 (Four thousand, six hundred and twenty eight) (£89 per week). The newspapers are not delivered, they are collected daily by a member of Courts staff. The General Registry is invoiced on a monthly basis.

Please quote the reference number 4235201 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

FOI Co-ordinator