Informants (1552A/21)
Request
(1) For the calendar years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and available data for 2021, please state how much the police force has spent on informants. Please provide a breakdown by year.
(2) For the calendar years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and available data for 2021, please state how much the police force has spent on informants in relation to Black Lives Matter. Please provide a breakdown by year.
(3) For the calendar years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and available data for 2021, please state how much the police force has spent on informants in relation to environmental groups and environmental protests. Please provide a breakdown by year.
Response
With regard to question 1, please find this below and be advised that we only disclose the total amount paid to informants by financial year.
2015/16 = £193,698
2016/17 = £202,688
2017/18 = £185,045
2018/19 = £182,955
2019/20 = £203,738
2020/21 = £272,931
In addition to this response West Midlands Police can neither confirm nor deny that it holds any other information relevant to this request as the duty in Section 1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply by virtue of the following exemptions:
Section 23(5) – Information supplied by, or concerning, certain Security Bodies
Section 24(2) – National security
Section 30(3) Investigations by virtue of s30(2) Confidential Sources
With regard to questions 2 & 3, West Midlands Police can neither confirm nor deny that information is held relevant to your request as the duty in s1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply by virtue of the following exemptions:
Section 23(5) Information supplied by or concerning certain Security Bodies
Section 24(2) National Security
Section 30(3) Investigations by virtue of s30(2)
Section 31(3) Law Enforcement
Section 38(2) Health and Safety
Section 40(5) Personal Information
Section 23 is a class based absolute exemption and there is no requirement to consider the public interest in this case.
When citing Section 40(5), there is a requirement to consider whether disclosure would be fair. In this case release would not be fair and therefore Section 40(5) is classed as absolute and there is no requirement to consider the public interest.
In line with the above, I am required to complete a Prejudice Test/Public Interest Test (PIT) on disclosure. Please find this PIT attached (1552A_PIT).
No inference can be taken from this refusal that the information you have requested does or does not exist.