FOI release

FOI2018-15044 Employee STEM qualifications

Published 6 December 2018

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Dear

I am writing in response to your email dated 25 November 2018. I am treating your correspondence as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

As part of my research into the work of engineers and technologists across government in the UK, I request the following information:

  • The percentage of DECA employees qualified to honours degree level (i.e. Level 6, as specified in the source given in Annex A) in a STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) related subject.
  • The percentage of DECA employees qualified to Level 7 or above (as specified in the source given in Annex A) in a STEM (Science, technology, engineering or mathematics) related subject.
  • The percentage of DECA employees qualified to honours degree level (i.e. Level 6, as specified in the source given in Annex A) in electronics.
  • The percentage of DECA employees qualified to Level 7 or above (as specified in the source given in Annex A) in electronics.

In response to your queries, I have completed a search for the information within the Defence Electronics & Components Agency, and I can confirm that we do hold information in scope of your request. However, I have to advise you that we are not able to answer your question without exceeding the appropriate limit. This is because the information is not held centrally and to locate, retrieve and extract information in scope of your request would exceed the limit of man days and effort.

Section 12(1) of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them exceeds the appropriate limit, which for central government is set at £600.00. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 3.5 working days determining whether the department holds the information, locating, retrieving and extracting it.

If you are not satisfied with this response or you wish to complain about any aspect of the handling of your request, then you should contact me in the first instance. If informal resolution is not possible and you are still dissatisfied then you may apply for an independent internal review by contacting the Information Rights Compliance team, Ground Floor, MOD Main Building, Whitehall, SW1A 2HB or by e-mailing CIO-FOI-IR@mod.uk. Please note that any request for an internal review must be made within 40 working days of the date on which the attempt to reach informal resolution has ended.

If you remain dissatisfied following an internal review, you may take your complaint to the Information Commissioner under the provisions of Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act. Please note that the Information Commissioner will not investigate your case until the MOD internal review process is complete. You can find further details of the role and powers of the Information Commissioner on the Commissioner’s website

Regards

DECA FOI

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