diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/help/about.rhtml | 5 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/help/unhappy.rhtml | 47 |
2 files changed, 45 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/app/views/help/about.rhtml b/app/views/help/about.rhtml index b5de6ef36..7fe30d473 100644 --- a/app/views/help/about.rhtml +++ b/app/views/help/about.rhtml @@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ page for your request. You will be emailed if this date goes by without a response, so you can send the public authority another note to hurry them up. </dd> +<dt id="quickly_response">What if I'm not satisfied with the response?</dt> +<dd>If you didn't get the information you asked for, or you didn't get it in time, +then read our page '<a href="/help/unhappy">Unhappy about the response you got?</a>'. +</dd> + <dt id="ico_help">Can you tell me more of the nitty gritty about the process of making requests?</dt> <dd>Have a look at the diff --git a/app/views/help/unhappy.rhtml b/app/views/help/unhappy.rhtml index 79d2589f7..9f088d3f6 100644 --- a/app/views/help/unhappy.rhtml +++ b/app/views/help/unhappy.rhtml @@ -15,16 +15,17 @@ <ol> <li>Ask for an Internal Review at the public authority.</li> <li>If that doesn't help, complain to the Information Commisioner.</li> +<li>Either way, also use other means to answer your question.</li> </ol> -<h1>1. Asking for an Internal Review</h1> +<h1 id="internal_review">1. Asking for an Internal Review</h1> -<p>Contact the Freedom of Information officer at the public authority and request an -internal review. +<p>Contact the Freedom of Information officer at the public authority and +request an internal review. </p> -<p>You should be able to find the email address for this -by searching the website of the public authority. If you filed your request using +<p>You should be able to find the email address for this by searching the +website of the public authority. If you filed your request using WhatDoTheyKnow, you can include a link to the page about your request, so the internal review has easy access to all the relevant correspondence. </p> @@ -37,11 +38,11 @@ original decision. <!-- XXX need decent link to more detailed instructions --> -<h1>2. Complaining to the Information Commissioner</h1> +<h1 id="complaining">2. Complaining to the Information Commissioner</h1> <!-- XXX should include brief instructions inline, and link to more detail --> -<p>If you are still unhappy after the public authority had had an internal review, +<p>If you are still unhappy after the public authority has done their internal review, then you can complain to the Information Commisioner. To do this read <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom_of_information.aspx">Complaints about Freedom of Information</a> on the Information Commisioner's website. @@ -50,5 +51,37 @@ on the Information Commisioner's website. out the whole page of your request, to make it easy to send the relevant information to the Information Commissioner. +<p><strong>Warning:</strong> There is a backlog of work at the Information Commissioner, and +it can take literally years to get resolution from them. If you reach this point, +you should accept that you won't get the information quickly by this means. Maybe +you want to help the fight to improve Freedom of Information, or maybe +getting the information slowly is still worthwhile.</p> + +<h1 id="other_means">3. Using other means to answer your question</h1> + +<p>You can try persuing your problem or your research in other ways. + +<ul> +<li>Make an FOI request for summary information, or for documentation relating +indirectly to matters in your rejected request. +<a href="/help/contact">Ask us for ideas</a> if you're stuck.</li> +<li>If any other public authorities or publically owned companies are involved, +then make FOI requests to them.</li> +<li><a href="http://www.writetothem.com">Write to your MP or other politician</a> +and ask for their help. Often MPs can find out information which individuals can't, +by directly writing to ministers or departments, or by asking a written question in the +House of Commons. Likewise, councillors in local authorities can go and talk directly +to officers to try and find things out.</li> +<li>Ask others researching the same or similar questions for ideas. Perhaps you +can find them by browsing this site; you can contact any registered user from +their page. Perhaps there is an Internet forum or group where there are people +who know about the area you are researching. If it is a local matter, use <a +href="http://www.groupsnearyou.com">GroupsNearYou</a> to find such a +forum.</li> +<li><a href="http://www.pledgebank.com">Start a pledge</a> to get others +to act together with you. For example, you could arrange a meeting with staff +from the authority. Or you could form a small local campaigns group. +</ul> + |