Requests from RSPCA

I understand that the RSPCA are able to use the police radio network, called Airwave, but that requests for such things as PNC checks are sometimes handled directly by the RSPCA's Political Headquarters in Horsham. As you may be aware, the RSPCA has a close relationship with many journalists - I am concerned that any channel for information to be obtained unlawfully from the police and/or provided by the police in an unregulated manner should be closed off.

Would you therefore please provide me with data, detailing how many requests for information from the police have been received by the Constabulary from the RSPCA annually during the last five years broken down annually.

In accordance with section 1(1) (a) of the Act our response is provided below;

From our preliminary assessment, we estimate that compliance with your request would exceed the appropriate costs limit under section 12 of the Freedom of information Act 2000. This is currently £450. The basis for this assessment is the cost of determining if the information you request is held by the Constabulary.

There are no centrally held records of requests for information from any organisation or individual. To determine if such information is held would require a manual examination of every recorded telephone call, email and letter received by the Constabulary over the five year period. In addition every police officers note book and front desk enquiry officers records would require examination. It is estimated that to carry out such a search would take one member of staff many months and would clearly exceed the appropriate limit. Your request is therefore refused.

Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Cheshire Constabulary, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you 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.

The appropriate limit is defined in the Data Protection and Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004, which is covered by statutory Instrument Number 3244 of 2004. Furthermore, Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 allows a public authority to refuse to respond to a request for information where the cost of compliance would exceed the appropriate limit as defined by the above mentioned regulations.

In order to assist you the best suggestion we can offer is if you were to restrict your request to recorded incidents relating to animals. There are approx. 1000 incidents recorded each day but they can be searched electronically. if you would like to consider this please let me know.