) on our website.
Freedom of Information Act
Are you considered a threat to British national security? If you don’t consider yourself to be then why not seek access to personal data held about you by the PSNI, NIO, MoD and other public bodies and take advantage of the Freedom of Information Act which came into force on January 1 2005.
Below we are enclosing details of various public bodies with email addresses and websites. If you (like Christy Moore recently) have been detained against your will at a British port or airport we invite you to contact the relevant police force and request data on your person. This can be refused on grounds of national security but if you are happy that this doesn’t apply then appeal to the Information Commissioner! (see website below)
FOIA access can also be denied if the information held by a public authority (ie a Scottish, Welsh or English police force) has been supplied by the security service (MI5), the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and/or a number of other bodies listed in the exemption section of the FOIA. Recently a number of Glasgow Celtic supporters were stopped at Scottish ports and personal data was gathered (among other things they were asked who carried out the Northern Bank raid!). It would be absurd to argue that Celtic supporters as such represent a threat to national security. It is also clear that the information gathered came from the supporters themselves and not one of the security organisations listed in the legislation. So why not contact the relevant police force and seek FOIA access. If this is denied then appeal to the Information Commissioner! (see website below)
For years they have asked questions of us and delayed our journeys. Now it’s your chance to ask questions of them. The Freedom of Information Act applies to non-UK nationals as well. For details on the Act and the exemptions see the Campaign for Freedom of Information PDF of the Freedom of Information Act () on our website.
PSNI
You have the right to be told by the Chief Constable whether any information is held about you on the Police National Computer and a right to a copy of that information. The Chief Constable will give that information if he is satisfied as to your identity and on payment of a fee of £10.
The Chief Constable may deny access to this information where the information is held for the prevention or detection of crime or for the apprehension or prosecution of offenders and where release of the information would be likely to be prejudicial to any of these purposes.
Contact:
Acting Sergeant Paul Cleland
Force Data Protection Officer
Data Protection Unit
Police Service of Northern Ireland Headquarters
Brooklyn
65 Knock Road
BELFAST
BT5 6LE
Telephone: 028 9065 0222 Ext. 21057
Fax: 028 9070 0032
e-mail: dataprotection@psni.police.uk
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 applies to those shifty men in raincoats and dodgey haircuts who hang around the ports at Cairnryan and Stranrear (the ones who believe that those who come from ‘Derry’ not ‘Londonderry’ are terrorist suspects).
Freedom of Information Officer
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary
Police Headquarters
Cornwall Mount
Dumfries
DG1 1PZ
or e-mail: foi@dumfriesandgalloway.pnn.police.uk
or Fax: 01387 260501
For further details see http://www.dumfriesandgalloway.police.uk/foi/obtinfo.htm
If you have been hassled by the shifty men in raincoats and dodgey haircuts who hang around the Holyhead and Pembroke Ferries contact the Dyfed Powys Police
Freedom of Information Unit
Professional Standards Department
Dyfed Powys Police Headquarters
Po Box 99
Llangunnor
Carmarthen
SA31 2PF
Or alternatively e-mail: foi@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk
For further details see http://www.dyfedpowyspolice.org.uk/main_template.asp?articleID=228
For the Swansea crossing contact
Freedom of Information Officer
South Wales Police Headquarters
Cowbridge Road
Bridgend
CF38 3SU
Or alternatively e-mail to foi@south-wales.pnn.police.uk
If you experience difficulties sending emails to this address, please write to the postal address above. Alternatively, you can telephone the Freedom of information office on 01656 869437 or fax on 01656 302176 (please address faxes to the Freedom of Information Office).
Further details at http://www.south-wales.police.uk/fe/master.asp?n1=4&n2=153
Fishguard port is the responsibility of the North Wales police
Contact:
Freedom of Information Team
Professional Standards Department
North Wales Police Headquarters
Glan-y-Don
Colwyn Bay
Conwy
LL29 8AW
Or alternatively e-mail to freedomofinformation@north-wales.police.uk
Further details at http://www.north-wales.police.uk/foi/site/obtain_info.asp
For the London Metropolitan Police (Stansted, Luton, Heathrow and Gatwick airports) see the blurb below
‘From 1 January 2005 anyone in the world can request information from any public body in the UK. If you would like to request information from the MPS (Metropolitan Police ) that you cannot access via the publication scheme please write to us, giving your name and address and explaining what you would like to see as clearly as possible. If you also give us your telephone number we will be able to discuss the request with you direct.
If you would like to request information from the MPS that you cannot access via the publications scheme, please write to us at The Public Access Office - FOIA, New Scotland Yard, 8-10 Broadway, London, SW1H 0BG, United Kingdom, or fax us on +44 (0) 207 230 4586. If you would like to talk to someone about your request please call +44 (0) 207 230 4143.'
Further details at http://www.met.police.uk/information/
For Liverpool port and airport see
Freedom of Information
Data Protection Unit
Police Headquarters
Canning Place
Liverpool
L69 1JX
email: FOI@Merseyside.Police.uk
Further details at http://www.merseyside.police.uk/foi/Information_Access/information_access.html
For Manchester Airport
Freedom of Information Act Coordinator
Data Protection Unit
Greater Manchester Police Headquarters
PO Box 22 (S West PDO)
8th Floor
Chester House
Boyer Street
Manchester
M16 0RE
Or alternatively e-mail to freedomofinformation@gmp.police.uk
Further details at http://www.gmp.police.uk/foi/index.asp
The FOIA does not apply to MI5, the British ‘security’ service but certain restricted data can be requested through the Data Protection Act 1998. See details at http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/Page85.html
Information can be requested from the British Ministry of Defence under both the FOI Act and the Data Protection Act 1998. See details at http://www.foi.mod.uk/
Again certain information can be requested from the Northern Ireland Office under the FOI Act and the Data Protection Act 1998. See details at http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/foi.htm
If you are refused access, wish to appeal a decision or make a complaint contact the Information Commissioner who is responsible for regulating both the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act. Don't accept the 'national security' excuse:
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/