FOI 0046-2024/25- Roadside screening breath tests
Request:
Q1. The number of roadside screening breath tests carried out by your Police Force in 2023, split by month.
Q2. The number of positive/refused tests, split by month
If data has not yet been analysed for the whole year, please provide me with the months you do have.
Response:
Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.
Q1 & Q2. North Yorkshire Police intend to submit figures to the Home Office to which they will be published in due course. I am exempting providing a response pursuant to Section 22 – Information intended for future publication. Please see exemption explanation below.
However, it may be of interest to you to view previous data in relation to breath test statistics on the below link:
breath-test-statistics-police-powers-and-procedures-year-ending-31-december-2021.xlsx (live.com)
Exemption explanation
Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.
Section 22(1)(b) – Information Intended for Future Publication
Section 22 is a qualified exemption and as such is subject to a public interest test. This means that North Yorkshire Police have identified the exemption and have considered whether the public interest in not disclosing the information outweighed the public interest test in disclosing the information.
Although there is a public interest in knowing the details of FOI requests as this leads to greater transparency, Section 22 allows for circumstances when it is reasonable and correct for public authorities to delay the provision of information until it is made generally available through publication.
Pursuant to Section 17 of the Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice in response to your request.
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.