Cost of questions

Summary

The requester asked for the cost in civil servant time to answer 132 questions on the August 2019 Tynwald Question Paper. The Cabinet Office responded that this specific information is not held as they do not record time taken for individual questions across all departments.

Key Facts

• The Cabinet Office does not hold data on the time taken or cost incurred by every department to answer the August 2019 Tynwald Questions.
• No records exist of the time taken by officers to answer the specific 132 questions requested.
• A 2013/14 exercise estimated the average cost to answer a parliamentary question at £71.
• The response noted significant variation in the time needed to answer individual questions.
• The request was closed on 23 August 2019 with an outcome of 'Information not held'.

Data Disclosed

• 132 questions
• August 2019
• 2013/14
• £71
• 2019-08-20
• 2019-08-23
• 928281

Original Request

How much did it cost in civil servants time to compile the answers to the 132 questions?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244 Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 928281 23 August 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your Freedom of Information request which was received on 20 August 2019 that states:

"How much did it cost in civil servants time to compile the answers to the 132 questions?"

You subsequently clarified that your Freedom of Information request referred to the questions tabled on the August 2019 Tynwald Question Paper. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold the information that you have requested. This is because Cabinet Office does not hold information from every Department, Board and Office on the amount of time taken or the cost of incurred in answering the August 2019 Tynwald Questions. The Cabinet Office has not recorded the time taken by officers in answering the questions for the August 2019 Tynwald Question Paper.

In order to provide advice and assistance as required under the Freedom of Information Act 2015, an exercise was conducted in 2013/14 which estimated the average cost in terms of staff time for Isle of Man Government to answer a parliamentary question was £71. The exercise found that there was significant variation in time needed to answer individual questions. Please quote the reference number 928281 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