CEOP should be abolished

by **Tony Bennett** 23.06.10 14:32

Received from a Madeleine Foundation supporter this afternoon:

Thanks for the emails, your letter No. 3 is very pertinent. Further to your point about David Cameron's aim for government and public service transparency, the No 10 website (you're probably aware) Home page has a link to the 'Coalition Programme for Government' document and welcomes comments on the issues. This link is for the Contact page:

http://www.number10.gov.uk/footer/contact-us

With the government's stated aim to abolish ineffective quangos, it would be possible to suggest that the government should rein in CEOP (exempt from Freedom of Information Act I believe) and Jim Gamble's publicly-biased support of the McCanns'.unproven abduction theory, when he and CEOP should only have a neutral role in an ongoing investigation.

by Autumn 23.06.10 15:10

Tony Bennett wrote:
jkh wrote:Are you going to put those questions to them Tony?
I asked 12 on 19 March.

I asked a further four on 17 June.

I will most certainly now ask which police forces are currently investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and who are the current Senior Investigating Officers.

That will make 18.

I will happily ask the Home Office or any other agency any factual questions that come within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act. I invite suggested further questions for the Home Office from forum members.

I would invite others to ask any of the 16 questions I've asked so far or to join with me in asking which police forces are investigating Madeleine's disappearance

and who are the current S.I.O.s.

It's easy to ask a FOI question.

Send your e-mails to these two address:

info.access@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk,
public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

And copy them to these e-mail addresses:

FOIResponses@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk,
Ian.Lister@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Well done Tony we need to keep at them - perhaps it would be a good idea to post these e-mail addresses on other forums, facebook etc and get as many people involved as we can to help keep the pressure on.

by **Tony Bennett** 23.06.10 15:46

Autumn wrote:...we need to keep at them - perhaps it would be a good idea to post these e-mail addresses on other forums, Facebook etc and get as many people involved as we can to help keep the pressure on.

'Autumn', thank you.

I am not au fait with how sites like Facebook and Twitter work, but I would agree that there is much to be gain by large numbers of the genral public asking these questions.

In response, I have reduced the 18 questions I've asked to just nine, and have slightly amended and updated some of them.

Here then is a list of those nine recommended questions and the e-mail addresses to send them to:

The Home Office and Madeleine McCann: The 9 Key FOI Act Questions

1. On what date or dates has the Home Secretary Alan Johnson had meetings with one or both of the McCanns?

2. On what dates have meetings taken place between one or both of the McCanns and staff of the Home Office?

3. On what date did the McCanns first approach the Home Office to discuss a possible review or re-investigation by a British police force into Madeleine’s disappearance?

4. Has the Home Office carried out or commissioned what the Daily Telegraph called ‘a scoping exercise’ to evaluate what form any review or re-investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance may take’ and, if so, on what dates did that scoping exercise commence and conclude?

5. Why, according to the press, was Chief Executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, Mr Jim Gamble, given the role of advising the Home Office as to which police force should carry out any review or re-investigation?

6. On what date did the Home Secretary ask Mr Gamble to perform this role?

7. On what date did Mr Gamble make his recommendation?

8. Has any police force been asked to carry out a review or re-investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann?

9. Which U.K. police force is currently investigating possible crimes committed in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann?

Home Office e-mail addresses to send to:

info.acess@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

And copy them to these e-mail addresses:

FOIResponses@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Ian.Lister@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

by ufercoffy 23.06.10 18:19

The Pro's are positively hysterical on raptors site about these letters to and from the HO Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 234726

Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 234726

Will you please stop rattling cages Mr Bennett? Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 742129

Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 742129

by Laffin Assasin 24.06.10 0:25

Might I suggest some of you become more aware of "Twitter" it's a good tool for spreading "instant" news.

I don't fully understand the "nuances" of it yet, but I've figured out the "basics".

by Laffin Assasin 29.06.10 17:51

It started in America, no not the "Banking Crisis" the FOIA. Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 110921

Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 110921

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/22/AR2010062205220.html

The District's top lawyer is seeking more time to respond to public requests for government information, saying the city is inundated with complex inquiries and has less money and manpower than in the past to comply with D.C.'s open records law.

by **Tony Bennett** 09.07.10 9:38

My 12 fairly simple questions to the Home Office were asked on Friday 19 March.

The law [Freedom of Information Act 2000] requires them to be answered within a maximum of 20 working days.

Today, Friday 9 July, is precisely 16 weeks since I asked those questions.

That's 80 weekdays, or, allowing for four Bank Holidays during this period, 76 working days since I asked those questions.

Today, they have still not been answered.

by Guest 09.07.10 15:59

Doesn't that mean then they have broken the law! Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 234726

It all just adds to what the majority of people seem to think about something dodgy going on so they are not doing themselves any favours imo.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7004936.ece This seems to relate to a breach of the Freedom of Information Act (on another issue when people were trying to hide something) but it says they couldnt be prosecuted because the complaint came in too late about them breaching the law by not replying in time - if I am reading it correctly then does that mean Tony if you made an official complaint to the Information Commissioner then whoever is responsible for answering the questions but hasnt done so in the required time - could be prosecuted? Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office - Page 2 234726

by Laffin Assasin 10.07.10 6:25

Home Office and McCanns have been hand in hand since before they were declared suspects.

by aiyoyo 10.07.10 6:45

Yeah, but the public need to know what they were hiding.

If the HO was sitting on dirts and refusing to answer with stipulated dateline they should be taken to task with the Authority with remit over them isn't it.

by **Tony Bennett** 10.07.10 19:26

aiyoyo wrote:Yeah, but the public need to know what they were hiding.

Indeed. We all know that Alan Johnson met the McCanns. Why can't they tell us on what date that was?

by **Tony Bennett** 13.07.10 10:30

Cherry wrote:Doesn't that mean then they have broken the law! - if I am reading it correctly then does that mean Tony if you made an official complaint to the Information Commissioner then whoever is responsible for answering the questions but hasn't done so in the required time - could be prosecuted?

No. If a public authority either refuses to supply information, or delays unreasonably in doing so, the Information Commissioner can make decisions - and there is a further right of appeal to an Information Tribunal. These appeal bodies can basically order information to be produced.

I am really not sure if they have any powers beyond that, possibly fining a public authority for a breach, I am not sure.

But I don't think any individual commits a criminal offence by not supplying the information.

P.S. Working day No. 78 - 58 working days late - and still no reply from the Home Office

by **Tony Bennett** 14.07.10 13:04

P.S. Working day No. 79 - 59 working days late - and still no reply from the Home Office to my FOI Act questions asked on 19 March 2010

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Government statistics highlight "unacceptable" freedom of information delays

The unacceptable delays experienced by many people using the Freedom of Information Act are highlighted in official statistics published today.
The Campaign for Freedom of Information said the government’s figures showed that a “disturbing” level of requests were not being dealt with within the Act’s time limits. The figures show that:

more than a third of all requests to government departments (36%) took longer than the Act’s 20-working day deadline to answer.
although extensions are permitted for some types of requests [see note overleaf] departments must tell applicants they need the extra time within 20 days of the request. Departments failed to meet this deadline in a quarter of all cases (25%).
The Home Office had the worst record of any government department. In 60% of all requests it failed either to respond to the request within 20 days, or even tell the applicant that it needed more time within that period. The Campaign said this represented “routine disregard for the Act’s requirements”.

http://www.cfoi.org.uk/foi230605pr.html (23 June 2005)

by Judge Mental 14.07.10 18:09

Proof that the two previous governments and the newly instated current government are not really working towards their much vaunted goals of transparency and empowerment of the people.

by **Tony Bennett** 15.07.10 12:21

P.S. Working day No. 80 - 60 working days late - and still no reply from the Home Office to my FOI Act questions asked on 19 March 2010

by **Tony Bennett** 19.07.10 20:54

Working day No. 82 - 62 working days late - and still no reply from the Home Office to my FOI Act questions asked on 19 March 2010

by **Tony Bennett** 20.07.10 18:39

Working day No. 83 - 63 working days late [12 weeks and 3 days] - and still no reply from the Home Office to my FOI Act questions asked on 19 March 2010

by kangdang 20.07.10 18:40

I have not had a reply either, despite sending weekly emails to the HO's Mr. Lister. Absolutely disgraceful.

by Judge Mental 20.07.10 19:32

Do they not know they are breaking the law?

by kangdang 20.07.10 22:01

They do, they just don't care

by listener 20.07.10 23:57

Judge Mental wrote:Do they not know they are breaking the law?

They beleive they ARE the law!

by **Tony Bennett** 22.07.10 16:48

Working day No. 85 - 65 working days late [12 weeks and 3 days] - and still no reply from the Home Office to my FOI Act questions asked on 19 March 2010 (four months and three days ago)

by Judge Mental 22.07.10 17:54

Such simple questions are taking such a long time to answer that one is most concerned as to how long it will take to answer one's own more difficult and trickier questions.

What possible dastardly threats to national security must Tony Bennett's questions have posed for those who crawl around the cobwebs in those dark dungeons of Freedom of Information?

One wonders at the possibility of there being a box bolted to the floor in one of those dungeons with a big label across the top saying, 'Gordon Brown And Tony Blair Do Not Want This Box Opened Until The Year 2107'

by kangdang 22.07.10 20:56

by Guest 23.07.10 22:03

They obviously cant decide on which 'story' or 'lies' to tell! The truth would not take this long!

Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

CEOP should be abolished

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

76 working days and counting - 56 more than the legal maximum of 20

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Still no reply from the Home Office

79 and counting

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

80 days

Still no reply (cont...)

63 working days late

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Four months, three days, and counting

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

Re: Why the Home Office is taking so long to answer 12 simple FOI questions about Madeleine McCann - by the Home Office

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