Research and development

Dear Requester

Request for information FOI12302

Thank you for your e-mail of 22nd June 2012, requesting:

I would like to know your R&D department information; number of R&D staffs and number of report per year, the study area of this year, the relation of university etc..

I've already reviewed 'Ordnance Survey Research 2009' so I would like to get 2011 research report for your R&D department with file?

I confirm that Ordnance Survey does hold all of the information you have requested, as responds as follows:

The number of staff in our research and development department is currently 25 persons.

Information relating to study areas for 2012 is exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000 'Information accessible to applicant by other means'. This is because we already make this information available at this web link:

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/education-and-research/research/index.html

Information regarding universities is also exempt under Section 22 of the FOIA Information accessible to applicant by other means. This is because we already make this information available on our website at the following web pages:

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/education-and-research/higher-education/msc-dissertation-programme.html

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/education-and-research/higher-education/doctoral-research.html

Under our duty to provide advice and assistance (Section 16 of the FOIA) additional information about education and research is also available from our web site as follows:

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/education-and-research/index.html

Research reports from 2011 are exempt under Section 22 of the FOIA ˜Information intended for future publication'. This exemption applies because we have an intention to publish this information, as we have with previous reports, although the publication date is yet to be confirmed.

Public Interest
As section 22 of the FOIA is a qualified exemption we have considered the public interest in releasing/with holding the research reports.

Whilst we appreciate there is public interest in our research reports, hence our previous publishing of them, it is also in the public interest to ensure that publishing ahead of a carefully considered future point in time does not disclose information which would or is likely to provide an unfair business/knowledge advantage to any persons.

We must also ensure the reports are released at a time which has given consideration to the effects of Ordnance Surveys ability to operate under the commercial constraints placed on us as a Government Trading Fund operating in commercially competed markets in delivering our government tasks, and in the wider commercial business arena.

We therefore conclude there is greater public interest to refrain from releasing the reports until their intended publication date, which will be a time of our own choosing (which is likely to be early 2013), to ensure Ordnance Survey continues to operate fairly and consistently in a competitive and commercially sensitive market.

Internal Review
If you are unhappy with our response, you may request an internal review with our Appeals Officer at:

FOI Appeals Officer
Customer Service Centre
Ordnance Survey
Adanac Drive
SOUTHAMPTON
SO16 0AS

E-mail: foi@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Please include the reference number above. You may request a review where you believe Ordnance Survey has:

* Failed to respond to your request within the time limits (normally 20 working days)

* Failed to tell you whether or not we hold the information

* Failed to provide the information you have requested

* Failed to explain the reasons for refusing a request

* Failed to correctly apply an exemption or exception

The Appeals Officer will inform you of the outcome of the internal review within 20 working days (exceptionally 40 working days), in line with the Information Commissioner's guidance. The Appeals Officer will either: uphold the original decision, provide additional explanation of the exemption/exception applied or release further information, if it is considered appropriate to do so.

Appealing to the Information Commissioner's Officer (ICO)
If following receipt of our internal review you remain unhappy, you may raise an appeal directly with the ICO by contacting them as follows:

The Case Reception Unit
Customer Service Team
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

E-mail the ICO: mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk or you may telephone their helpline on 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745 for advice.

Thank you for your enquiry.