FOI Responsiveness

Request 1
For the period 16th March – 17th July 2020 (i.e., when ICO had indicated a sympathetic approach to delay), provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
(c) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(d) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?

Request 2
For the period 18th July – 8th October 2020 (i.e., during the ‘preparing for recovery’ phase), provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
(c) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt by your organisation?
(d) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?

Request 3
During the period 1st March to 30th October 2020, provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued more than 60 working days after receipt of the request?
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued more than 60 working days after receipt of a request for an internal review?

Request 4
I hope you will also consider providing a response to question 4 if I clarify that what I have in mind is: In your /your team's experience as the central point of contact for FOI requests (as opposed to colleagues throughout the PSNI whom you might have sought information from), which, if any of the reasons for delay were applicable e.g. if you/your team had limited access to necessary systems for the first month of the pandemic? I'm not expecting you to consider the reason for delay for each request that you processed. Rather, I'm seeking to understand in general terms which factors explain delay.

Request 5
In relation to the FOI requests received by your organisation between 1st March and 30th October 2020, what proportion related directly to Covid-19, your organisation's Covid-19 response or impact of the pandemic on your organisation? (Provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%)

Request 6
On 17th July 2020 the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) launched a self-assessment Freedom of Information toolkit (FOI self-assessment toolkit | ICO) to help public authorities respond
to FOI requests as they prepared to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
6.a - Does, or has your organisation ever, use/d the toolkit? If so, please explain whether it has it had any positive outcomes.
6.b - If your organisation has not/does not make use of the toolkit, please explain why not.

Request 7
As for question 7, I'd like to clarify that what I have in mind is whether for example the PSNI decided to proactively publish more information in response to Covid, and if you/your team was asked to assist in that response, or whether FOI was deprioritised so that staff could be redeployed

Request 8
Has your organisation taken steps to proactively publish information relating to Covid-19, your organisation's Covid-19 response or the impact of the pandemic on your organisation? If it includes a dedicated webpage, please provide a link to the webpage.