FOI Subject Access Requests (999-2023/24)
Request
I write in connection with your request for information which was received by North Yorkshire Police on 09 January 2024. Please accept our apologies for the delay in providing you with a response. I note you seek access to the following information:
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act. I am requesting information about Subject Access Requests, where individuals have the right to access their personal information: https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fico.org.uk%2Ffor-the-public%2Fyour-r&data=05%7C02%7CCivilDisclosure%40northyorkshire.police.uk%7C13a04f0b9d484bb90b3f08dc11381c33%7C2c84bc9193af476e9721cdad67cb3ead%7C0%7C0%7C638404179888653091%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oM3xk0s%2F2d0zZevz4YDdo%2FvIsuUAKbPNDkDsaozy5NE%3D&reserved=0...
For the avoidance of doubt, "subject access request" includes a request made by or on behalf of a data subject under Article 15 of the UK GDPR, under section 45 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (in respect of law enforcement processing) or under section 94 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (in respect of intelligence services processing).
Please note that this request comes in three parts. I would like to request the following information:
(1) For the year 2021 (1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021), please state how many Subject Access Requests were received by this police force. Please also provide the following breakdown:
(a) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2021 were responded to within one calendar month?
b) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2021 were responded to after one month but with an extension permitted under Article 12(3) of the UK GDPR?
(c) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2021 were responded to after the one calendar month deadline but without an extension permitted under Article 12(3) of the UK GDPR?
(d) Out of those Subject Access Requests received in 2021 that were responded to beyond the one calendar month deadline, how many were answered (i) after three calendar months (ii) after six calendar months
(2) For the year 2022 (1st January 2022 to 31st December 2022), please state how many Subject Access Requests were received by this police force. Please also provide the following breakdown:
(a) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2022 were responded to within one calendar month?
b) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2022 were responded to after one month but with an extension permitted under Article 12(3) of the UK GDPR
(c) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2022 were responded to after the one calendar month deadline but without an extension permitted under Article 12(3) of the UK GDPR?
(d) Out of those Subject Access Requests received in 2022 that were responded to beyond the one calendar month deadline, how many were answered (i) after three calendar months (ii) after six calendar months
(3) For the year 2023 (1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023), please state how many Subject Access Requests were received by this police force. Please also provide the following breakdown:
(a) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2023 were responded to within one calendar month?
b) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2023 were responded to after one month but with an extension permitted under Article 12(3) of the UK GDPR
(c) How many Subject Access Requests received in 2023 were responded to after the one calendar month deadline but without an extension permitted under Article 12(3) of the UK GDPR?
(d) Out of those Subject Access Requests received in 2023 that were responded to beyond the one calendar month deadline, how many were answered (i) after three calendar months (ii) after six calendar months
Response
Extent of Searches to Locate Information
Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police to locate relevant information.
Decision
I am not obliged to provide you with a response to your request pursuant to Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). Please note that when one part of your request falls under Section 12, we are not obliged to review the rest of the questions and the whole request is therefore exempt. However, I have decided, as a gesture of goodwill to answer some of the questions posed. Please see below for the information requested.
Section 12(1) applies to your request as the cost of complying with your request is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of identifying and retrieving any relevant information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.
Due to the nature of our recording systems the information requested, if held, is not in an easily retrievable format. Our information retrieval process generally relies on a computer ran report which captures any information recorded upon the surface of a record or within specified fields. Where relevant information is held deeper in the record, or outside of a specified field, a manual assessment is required to retrieve that information.
In relation to parts b of all questions posed. The information relating to any SAR that was responded to after having an extension added is not recorded in such a way that could be easily extracted. This would require a manual review of all SAR’s to determine which, if any are relevant to your request. This review would exceed the time allowed under the act.
In relation to parts d of all questions posed. The information relating to any SAR that was responded to between 3 months and 6 months is not recorded in such a way that could be easily extracted. This would require a manual review of all SAR’s to determine which, if any are relevant to your request. This review would exceed the time allowed under the act.
Pursuant to Section 17(5) of the Freedom of Information Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice.
Pursuant to Section 16 of the Act I am required to offer you advice and assistance with regarding to refining your request to within the ‘appropriate limit’ (time/cost limit). However, due to the information provided above I am unable to suggest how you may refine your request and still receive the information within the cost threshold. If you wish to discuss this please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the table below which details the number of subject access requests received by North Yorkshire Police from 01 January 2021 to 31 December 2023, broken down by year as well as those closed within one month and those closed after one month.
|
Year |
SARs received |
SARs closed within one month |
SARs closed after one month |
|
2021 |
372 |
204 |
186 |
|
2022 |
415 |
244 |
191 |
|
2023 |
519 |
369 |
172 |
|
Total |
1306 |
817 |
549 |
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.