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Our reference: 01/FOI/24/005801/N
Date: 09/01/2025
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are you able to provide the following:
. From April 1st 2024 to present:
Following liaison with the relevant departments, Humberside Police can confirm that we hold information relevant to your request, however we are unable to provide you with any further information as this is exempt under Section 31 (1) (a) (b) – Law Enforcement.
Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) places two duties on public authorities. Unless exemptions apply, the first duty at Section 1(1)(a) is to confirm or deny whether the information specified in a request is held. The second duty at Section 1(1)(b) is to disclose information that has been confirmed as being held. Where exemptions are relied upon Section 17 of FOIA requires that we provide the applicant with a notice which: a) states that fact b) specifies the exemption(s) in question and c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.
The FOI Act is ‘applicant blind’. This means that we cannot, and do not, ask about the motives of anyone who asks for information. In providing a response to one person, we are expressing a willingness to provide the same response to anyone. In this instance the information requested relates to the use of a specific substance as a cause of death, and would reveal the extent by which its use has had tragic effect as a poison.
Death as a result of poisoning could be caused by accident, but also on purpose. Disclosure of a total figure would reveal any ongoing investigations, which would have an undermining effect in the event that any criminal matters are under inquiry, thus hindering the prevention and detection of crime.
To disclose the number of deaths relevant to one specific substance would set a
precedent over disclosure in relation to any other named substances; revealing the viability of each substance set against any other. This would have an adverse risk on public safety, whether that means vulnerable members of society who seek to end their own life, or any other person with mal-intent.
There is some recent media reporting in relation to poisonings and the use of Sodium Nitrate. Disclosure would be informative, and allow for wider public discussion over such matters.
Disclosure of information that undermines the operational integrity of law enforcement capabilities is highly likely to have an adverse impact on public safety and a negative effect on law enforcement generally. This risk to public safety cannot be said to be in the public interest.
Balancing Test:
The public interest is best served by maintaining the exemption and withholding the information.
Please note that police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide information and statistics to government bodies and the recording criteria is set nationally. However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted that for these reasons this force’s response to your questions should not be used for the comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or 01482 578662.
Information Governance Unit
Humberside Police