Freedom of Information (FOI), Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), and Subject Access Requests (SARs) at the ONS 2020 to 2025

FOI reference: FOI-2025-2942

You asked

I am writing to request the following recorded information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The request relates to your organisation's handling of Freedom of Information (FOI), Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), and Subject Access Requests (SARs).

Please provide the following:

1. FOI Case Management System

• The name of any case management system currently used for handling FOI/EIR requests, as recorded in procurement, contract, or system documentation.
• A copy or extract of any documentation (e.g. internal guidance, process maps) that describes how FOI/EIR requests are logged, tracked, and managed.

2. Budget

• The recorded annual budget allocated for FOI case management, software, or administrative handling for the most recent financial year (rounded to the nearest £1,000 where applicable).

3. Organisational Structure

• The current organisational structure for FOI handling, including job titles and number of posts (headcount or FTE) involved in processing FOI/EIR requests, as recorded in HR or departmental documentation.
• If available, an organisational chart or team structure document that includes the FOI team or function.

4. Email Infrastructure

• The name of the email service provider/platform used by the organisation (e.g. Microsoft 365, Google Workspace), as recorded in IT documentation or procurement records.

5. Process Model

• Any recorded documentation describing whether FOI/EIR request handling is centralised or decentralised (e.g. internal policies, workflow diagrams, process descriptions).
• If no such documentation exists, please confirm that.

6. Timelines and Milestones

• Any recorded internal guidelines or policies that specify target timeframes or milestones for FOI/EIR request processing (e.g. time to acknowledge, time to gather information, time to respond).
• This may include internal service level agreements (SLAs), process checklists, or workflow timelines if available.

7. FOI, EIR, and SAR Request Volumes and Timeliness

• For each of the last five calendar years (or financial years, if easier to report), please provide:
  • The number of FOI requests received
  • The number of EIR requests received
  • The number of Subject Access Requests (SARs) received
  • The number of each type of request that were completed within the statutory timeframe

We said

Thank you for your request.  

1. FOI Case Management System 

The case management system used to handle FOI and EIR requests is Microsoft PowerApps. 

The associated download provides desk instruction documentation on p. 1-9. This describes how FOI requests are logged, tracked and managed.

2. Budget 

We do not hold a recorded annual budget allocated for FOI and EIR case management, software, or administrative handling. Budgets are set at a directorate level.

3. Organisational Structure 

We do not have a dedicated FOI team. The FOI and EIR management function sits in the Legal and Data Services (LDS), which is part of the Policy and Strategy division. The associated download provides an organisation chart on p.10. This shows the legal services team within LDS. They manage day-to-day coordination of FOI and EIR requests, in addition to several other duties.

4. Email Infrastructure 

Microsoft 365

5. Process Model & 6. Timelines and Milestones 

The associated download contains a process flow on p.11. This demonstrates Legal Services' recommended time management of FOIs and EIRs within the 20-working day period. We make clear to all teams that these internal milestones are upper-limit timescales, rather than targets. We always endeavour to answer FOIs and EIRs as soon as possible. 

This process flow also outlines how FOIs and EIRs are centrally coordinated.

7. FOI, EIR, and SAR Request Volumes and Timeliness 

The volume of FOI and EIR requests received and the percentage responded to within the statutory deadline can be found on the Freedom of Information statistics page of the GOV.UK website. On that site you can access yearly and quarterly reporting on Freedom of Information statistics for central government bodies, in bulletins and downloadable tables format.

The volume of SARs in the period June 2020 to June 2025 is 249. Of those, only 18 exceeded the time frame.  

In all cases where SAR timescales were exceeded, we reached out to the requesters advising them of the reasons for the delay and the new expected response dates.