The Wardman Wire

This is a set of 4 paragraphs which Heather Brooke adds to the end of Freedom of Information requests, to avoid elephant traps, bureaucratic obfuscation and not receiving all the rest of the information because they can’t find one small part of it.

“Some parts of this request may be easier to answer than others, and
should this prove to be the case I would ask that you release
available data as soon as possible rather than hold up the entire
request.

I would prefer to receive this information electronically. If the
decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in
Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

If you need any clarification then please contact me at the number
above or via email. Under your section 16 duty to provide advice
and assistance I would expect you to contact me if you find this
request unmanageable in any way.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have
received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you in
the near future.”

I use something similar, but I’m a neophyte, and Heather’s is far better.