Originally Posted by
airpolice
SWB, did they ever acknowledge receipt of your request?
Might they be playing for time, and hoping to claim the 20 days has not yet started?
They acknowledged the FOI request with this:
Dear xxxxxxx
I refer to the email that you sent to the University's Press Office today, making a Freedom of Information Act request. Your request has been forwarded to me to handle.
As you have correctly mentioned in your email, the University has 20 working days in which to respond to your request and therefore you will receive a further reply by 22 December 2016 at the latest, although if it is possible to respond before then, we will do so. Should you need to contact me before then however, please feel free to do so either by replying to this email or by telephoning me directly on 02392 nnnnnn.
Yours sincerely
S....... H...
Information Disclosure and Complaints Manager
University of Portsmouth
They are fully aware of the 22 Dec end-date and it would be rather embarrassing for them if such a simple request resulted in a breach of the FOI Act. Not a lot can be done if they do run late but deliberately withholding material information or changing information that is held is a criminal offence.