You asked
I'd like to make an FOI request regarding a flyer I received from the ONS this week.
The flyer informed me that 'The census is coming' and alerted me to look out for my invitation pack in the post.
I would like to enquire the total number of these printed and mailed by the ONS, and at what cost to the taxpayer?
We said
Thank you for your request.
Every household has been issued a flyer to inform them that the census is coming. The supplier was appointed following a rigorous procurement exercise in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations (2015). However, the total cost and number of flyers sent would be commercially sensitive information and therefore we would be unable to disclose the information requested.
Therefore, this information is considered exempt under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000, as the disclosure of this information would prejudice the commercial interests of the company in question. Disclosure of the cost of these adverts could negatively impact a third party's ability to generate higher levels of income in the future, as their ability to experience open and fair competition at tender could be compromised.
The use of this exemption is subject to the public interest test. Whilst we recognise the desirability of transparency for information pertaining to government public spending, we also value the public interest in the Government's capability to utilise advertising to promote and encourage participation in the census.
Disclosure of the requested information would jeopardise the Government's relationship with advertising services, making them likely to be unwilling to work with us in the future. In turn, this would negatively impact the Government's ability to raise the profile of the census. This is particularly important for the census, as the answers we receive from census forms are vital for enabling the government and local authorities to obtain a detailed picture of our society and subsequently plan for, and fund, local services. Therefore, the protection of the commercial interests of the advertising companies used by the government for the census directly benefits the public by ensuring government decisions are well-informed. Consequently, we find the public interest to be against disclosure in this instance.