Migrant funding

Summary

A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for detailed financial data regarding payments to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. The department refused the request, stating that the information is not held by them and may be held by the Treasury.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 2025-04-02 and responded to on 2025-04-17.
• The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the requested information on migrant funding.
• The information may be held by the Treasury.
• The refusal was issued under Section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
• The requester was advised to re-submit the request to the Treasury.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-04-02
• 2025-04-17
• 4559582

Exemptions Cited

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

Original Request

Please state how much money has been paid to date to refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, immigrants or any variation thereof that department of health and social care uses to avoid using the aforementioned terms in official correspondence? Please list the amounts by type of payment (be it cash, transfer, money uploaded to a debit card or other card and), by month and by year and please state in each category the number of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, immigrants or any variation thereof that department of health and social care uses to avoid using the aforementioned terms in official correspondence. Please list all of the types of financial and benefit awards (to include housing, vouchers, phones and anything else relevant to this FoI request) and anything else awarded/given to the refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, immigrants or any variation thereof that department of health and social care uses to avoid using the aforementioned terms in official correspondence. Thank you.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Chief Officer: Paul Richardson Freedom of Information Team First Floor Belgravia House Circular Road Douglas IM1 1AE

Our ref: 4559582 17 April 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request received 2 April 2025, which states:

"Please state how much money has been paid to date to refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, immigrants or any variation thereof that department of health and social care uses to avoid using the aforementioned terms in official correspondence?

Please list the amounts by type of payment (be it cash, transfer, money uploaded to a debit card or other card and), by month and by year and please state in each category the number of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, immigrants or any variation thereof that department of health and social care uses to avoid using the aforementioned terms in official correspondence.

Please list all of the types of financial and benefit awards (to include housing, vouchers, phones and anything else relevant to this FoI request) and anything else awarded/given to the refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, immigrants or any variation thereof that department of health and social care uses to avoid using the aforementioned terms in official correspondence.

Thank you."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department of Health and Social Care (the Department) is unable to provide the information that 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 as it may be held by the Treasury.

You may wish to re-submit your request to the Treasury which is an option available on the Freedom of Information request portal, who may be able to help you.

Please quote the reference number 4559582 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.