Agreements between IPSA and the Information Commissioner's Office on IPSA's publication scheme

We have conducted a thorough search of our electronic records and hardcopy files relating to the information that you have requested.  The information that we hold is summarised as follows and is attached to this letter:

• Annex 1 - Email from ICO regarding publication scheme (3 March 2010)

• Annex 2 - Meeting note for meeting between ICO and IPSA officials (23 March 2010)

• Annex 3 - Email between the ICO and IPSA regarding IPSA’s publication scheme (19 April 2010)

• Annex 4 - Meeting note for meeting between ICO and IPSA officials regarding publication scheme (28 April 2010)

• Annex 5 - The Information Commissioner’s response to IPSA’s consultation on publication proposals (July 2010) – the responses to the consultation can also be found on our website.

• Annex 6 - Email from the ICO confirming a statement given to the Telegraph about IPSA’s publication scheme (1 December 2010)

• Annex 7 - The ICO’s response to the Annual Review of the MP’s Expenses Scheme (11 February 2011) – the responses to the 2011 consultation on the Scheme can also be viewed on our website.

Where any of the information that we hold makes reference to junior members of staff, we have redacted the names of those individuals.  In IPSA’s view, that information is exempt under section 40 (personal information) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as it constitutes personal data.

Section 40(2) provides that personal data about third parties is exempt information if one of the conditions set out in section 40(3) is satisfied. Under the FOI Act disclosure of this information would breach the fair processing principle (Principle 1) of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), where it would be unfair to those persons or is confidential. For further information, please visit the following website: 

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/contents.

It is worth noting that some historical data that relate to staff members who are no longer employed by IPSA may not be available.  It is our policy that following the departure of an employee, the relevant data is stored for three months to allow for archiving, if appropriate.  After three months, the data that is not archived is deleted permanently.