JISC

Before making your request

We already make a lot of information available. Before you request information from us please ensure that you have:

• searched our website
• checked our publication scheme

When you send us your request, please do the following 3 things:

Be specific

You will get the information faster if you help us identify the exact information you require. It will also mean that your request is less likely to be turned down on cost grounds. Make sure that you:

• are as specific as possible about what information you want
• if unsure about the exact kind of information you require, provide us with a clear description
• provide, where appropriate, a relevant time frame, for example, 1999 to 2000, or January to April 1985

Let us know how you want the information

How would you like the information sent to you, for example by post or by e-mail? Let us know when you make your request and we will meet your preference where we can.

Provide contact details

We may have to get in touch with you to discuss your request. Please tell us in your request how you would prefer us to contact you.

Where to send your request

You can make a freedom of information request by email to foi@jisc.ac.uk

Or in writing to:

FOI request c/o Lisa Wollacott
JISC Executive
Northavon House
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1QD

When we receive your FOI request

We aim to reply promptly to your request, and are obliged by statute to provide a response within 20 working days. Some information may not be available because it falls within one of the exemptions of the Act. When that happens, we will tell you which exemption applies and, in most cases, why the information cannot be released.

In some cases we may need to extend the deadline to consider the public interest. If the time limit is extended, we will notify you of this delay within 20 working days of your initial request, and state when we believe we will be able to respond in full.

There might be a cost involved in dealing with your request which you may have to pay. If so, we will send you a notice stating the amount you have to pay, and how we calculated that amount. You will then have three months to pay the fee before we will continue to process your request. Please also see our charging policy.

Formats and fees

Many of the documents we hold are freely available via our website. To read PDF documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free and available from Adobe.

Where information detailed in this Publication Scheme requires a fee to be paid (for example where a fee is charged for printed documents but not for the same document freely available over the web), this is clearly marked.

The Department of Constitutional Affair’s fee regulation allows JISC to charge for information requests as follows:

A fee to cover prescribed costs (costs reasonably incurred in finding, sorting or editing material). It does not include costs involved with deciding whether the information is exempt. There is a threshold cost set at £450. Fees can only be charged in such situations where the prescribed costs exceed the limit.

The prescribed costs can be charged for in full for requests in excess of £450 at a standard rate of £25 per hour.

The cost of disbursements (printing, copying and postage costs at a standard rate of 10p per sheet) can be charged in all cases.

The regulations also allow for aggregation of costs where two or more requests on the same or related subject are received from one person or by different enquirers who appear to be involved in a campaign. These subsequent requests must be received before the 60th working day following the first request

Charging

JISC will not normally charge for disbursements under £20, but reserves the right to charge on a case by case basis.

JISC will not charge for the prescribed costs of dealing with FOI requests up to £450, calculated at a standard rate of £25 per hour. JISC will not normally agree to fulfill requests where the cost of locating, retrieving and producing the information is in excess of £450 but, where we agree to do so, we reserve the right to charge the full cost on a case by case basis. JISC will, however, always aim to avoid having to make a charge by first discussing with the enquirer whether the request can be modified or refined to a more manageable level. Where charges apply or are likely to apply, we will notify the estimated charge to the enquirer before doing any charged work.

Assuming we can meet the request, JISC will not charge for providing information in an alternative format if the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) covers the person requesting it, unless the original document was a priced publication. In this case, the charge for the alternative format will not exceed the cost of original publication.

JISC will not normally charge extra to applicants who wish to have a hard copy rather than accessing the information electronically from our website.

Requests for information may be forwarded where this is readily accessible from another source (even though this may attract a charge).

Where charges apply, we will require payment to be received in full by JISC before compiling and supplying information.

Appeals procedure

The FOI Act sets out a series of exemptions to protect confidential or other information where disclosure may prejudice the interests of the State or of third parties. Where we invoke these provisions to withhold information, that decision is subject to a review process. Decisions about deferral of access to information, the way in which access is given, or the level of fees or charges, are also subject to review.

Requests to review decisions where you feel that information which should have been provided has not been provided should be made to us. We will then undertake the internal review, and the applicant will be informed of the outcome.

All such appeals should be made in writing, setting out in full the nature of the appeal and the enquiry to which its pertains and addressed in the first instance to Lisa Wollacott.

It should also be noted that the information set out in this document, including the complaints procedure, only applies to that information which is directly under JISC’s control. Where information relating to the JISC is held by other public authorities (as indicated in the scheme) access to it will be subject to the fees regulations of that authority and any complaints regarding access subject to that authority’s own complaints procedure.

See further details of the JISC FOI appeals procedure.

Making your Data Protection Act request

Requests for personal information, that is information about a living individual, are dealt with under the Data Protection Act 1998. If you want to ask whether we hold any personal information about you, please note the following:

• You will need to supply proof of your identity. This should include both of the following:
  • A photocopy of the identification pages of your current passport or of a current photo driving licence
  • The original of a current utilities (such as electricity) bill, or credit card or bank statement, which includes your name and current address. This can be returned to you if required.
  • It would also help us to narrow our search if you could tell us which team or directorate you believe might hold personal data on you. If you are not sure, please tell us the context in which you have had dealings with us, and when
  • We will charge a fee of £10 for this service
  • We may withhold access to your information where we have the right to do so under the Data Protection Act. When that happens, we will tell you which exemption applies and, in most cases, why the information cannot be released.

  When we receive your DPA request

  We aim to reply promptly to your request, and are obliged by statute to provide a response within 40 working days. We will send you an invoice for the £10 fee. You will then have 3 months to pay the fee before we will continue to process your request.

  You can make your request in writing to:
  
  

  DPA request
  JISC Executive
  Northavon House
  Coldharbour Lane
  BRISTOL
  BS16 1QD

  For further information about the DPA see the Data protection section of the Information Commissioner's Office website