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FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 614-2023
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 21st June 2023 as follows:
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, relating to investigations into cases of unaccompanied asylum seeking children that have gone missing.
For the purposes of this request, I rely on the Government definition of unaccompanied asylum seeking children [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructions/uasc-funding-instructions-to-local-authorities-2023-to-2024-accessible]:
“an individual, who is under 18 when the asylum application is submitted, is not being cared for by an adult who by law has responsibility to do so, is separated from their parents and has applied for asylum in the United Kingdom in their own right.”
Please note there are two parts to this request. The first part is a Yes/No question. If responding to Part 2 takes my request over the cost limit, or is refused under another exemption, I kindly request you respond to Part 1 with a yes/no.
Part 1:
Has your force investigated cases of unaccompanied asylum seeking children reported missing since 1 January 2022 up to the present date (21 June 2023). Please respond with a Yes or No
Part 2:
How many cases of missing unaccompanied asylum seeking children has your force investigated since 1 January 2022 up to the present date (21 June 2023).
Please provide a total figure.
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Response: Please be advised that some of the requested information is not centrally recorded and is therefore not held in a readily retrievable format. The missing persons system (COMPACT) does not allow for an electronic search specifically for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC). In order to attempt to determine a response to part 2 of the request, it would be necessary to examine each and every missing report of any individual aged under 18. This equates to thousands of reports, and therefore, the work involved in locating and retrieving the requested information would exceed the cost threshold of £450, which equates to 18 hours work at a standard rate of £25 per hour, as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
In accordance with section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for this part of the request, and, if one part of a request exceeds the fees limit, then section 12 of the Act applies to the whole request.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act, I have a duty to provide advice and assistance in relation to your request; however, due to the volume of records involved, I am unable to advise how this element of your request could be revised in to one which could be carried out within the fees limit.
As a gesture of goodwill, a response to part 1 of the request has been provided below.
Part 1 response: Yes
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB