Requests for information not published on the website

Requesting information about the Gallery

Requests for information not published on the website should be made in writing and should provide as much detail as possible to enable Gallery staff to identify the information that is required. If you have difficulty in identifying the precise information you require Gallery staff will be pleased to help.

Requests should be sent to the Heinz Archive & Library, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE or e-mailed to [email protected].

The Gallery aims to respond to requests within twenty working days.

Costs and fees

Information published on the website is available free of charge. The Gallery will, however, charge for the full cost of disbursements for supplying hard copy where the costs of photocopying and/or printing exceed £5 excluding postage and VAT.

Requests for information not published on the website may be subject to charges. In accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Gallery is not obliged to respond to an FOI request if it would cost more than £450 to identify, locate, retrieve and process the information requested. In such cases, the Gallery will offer requestors the opportunity to refine their requests.

No standard fee may be charged for requests that cost less than £450, however the Gallery will charge for the full cost of disbursements where the costs of photocopying and/or printing exceed £5 excluding postage and VAT.

Exempt Information

Some information produced by the Gallery may be exempt from disclosure under the terms of the Act. Information that contains personal or sensitive data relating to living people is subject to the Data Protection Act. Other information may be withheld if it was provided in confidence, is prohibited from disclosure by law, may affect a court case, or concerns security matters.

Qualified exemptions may also be allowed under the terms of the Act. These exemptions include categories of information that, if disclosed, might prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs or commercial interests. They also include information intended for future publication. In these cases the Gallery will apply a ‘public interest test’ - i.e. it will consider whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Where this occurs, the Gallery will acknowledge requests within twenty working days but may, in accordance with the Act, need to extend this period for a reasonable length of time in order to complete the ‘public interest test’.

Copyright

Information generated by the Gallery and included in the Guide to information published by the NPG or supplied in response to a request is subject to copyright and may be reproduced for information and personal study only. For permission to reproduce images and details of fees please contact the Picture Library, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London WC2H OHE or e-mail [email protected].

Permission to reproduce information included in the publication scheme or supplied in response to a request does not extend to any material that is identified as being the copyright of a third party. Authorisation to reproduce such material must be obtained from the copyright holders concerned. Where data protection concerns do not allow us to disclose copyright holders’ details, we will make every effort to put enquirers in contact with right holders whilst also maintaining confidentiality.

Complaints and appeals

If you are dissatisfied with the response you have had from the Gallery in respect of a request for information you may invoke the appeals and complaints procedure under the terms of the Act. The first step is to seek an internal review of the decision you have received. Requests for internal review should be submitted in writing to the Head of Archive & Library, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE or e-mail [email protected].

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome or the handling of the internal review conducted by the Gallery you may seek an independent review from the Information Commissioner under the Freedom of Information Act. Requests for review by the Information Commissioner should be made in writing to: The Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.