Copy of responses to survey of MPs and their staff

I can confirm that we hold information relevant to your request.

The survey to which you refer was our annual survey of MPs and their staff which ran from 25 November to 23 December 2021. Since then, we have carried out our subsequent annual survey in 2022.

We plan to publish the report on this survey and the free-text responses, as well as the free-text responses to the 2021 survey by 17 March 2023.

The information for which you have asked has therefore been refused under section 22 of the FOIA. More information about the exemption is provided below.

Section 22(1) – future publication

This exemption applies because the information requested is intended for future publication by IPSA. Section 22(1) is a qualified exemption and requires us to consider the public interest test.

We need to check the free-text responses in the 2021 survey to ensure we do not release personal information which needs to be withheld.

We find that the public interest in withholding the information while we carry out these checks together with the fact that publication will occur within the next month, outweighs the public interest in disclosure at this time.

Publishing the responses alongside the results of the latest survey will also provide an up-to-date perspective on the views of MPs and their staff on IPSA's services.