Dear Mr Earle Thank You for Your Freedom of Information Request

DWP Central Freedom of InformationAnnex ATeam

Our Ref: 626/12 9 March 2012 Annex A

Dear Mr Earle

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received 10th February 2012.

1. “How many complaints have been made against each individual DWP Partner company listed below by the Independent Case Examiner since July 2011?

A4e, Avanta, Best, Careers Development Group, The Employment Skills Group, Fourstar, G4S, Ingeus, JHP Training, Maximus, NCG, Pertemps People Development Group, Prospects, Reed, Rehab, Seetec, Serco, Working Links.

2. As the DWP funds and provides ICE staff is it a part of the DWP, a separate Public Body or is it subject to the Freedom of Information Act directly or indirectly through contractual terms and conditions?

"Independent Case Examiner's office recruits its staff from its own department (the Department for Work and Pensions)" http://www.ind-case-exam.org.uk

3. Does ICE provide the DWP with any reports of it's work?

4. If ICE is 'independent' why do all email complaints and communications have to go into the possession of the DWP by use of DWP email address ?”

I will respond to your request in the order you asked the questions.

1. Below is a list of the complaints received:

Provider Name Number of complaints received A4e 13 Avanta 6 Best Training 0 Careers Development Group (CDG) 3 ESG Holding 1 Fourstar 2 G4S 4 Ingeus 14 JHP Training 1 Maximus 5 NCG 2 Pertemps People Development Group 0 Prospects 0 Reed 0 Rehab 0 Seetec 10 Serco 1 Working Links 8

2. The Independent Case Examiner, John Hanlon, is not a civil servant. He is an independent office holder appointed by the Department for Work and Pensions Permanent Secretary to provide an arms length complaint handling service for Departmental customers. All staff working to Mr Hanlon in the ICE office are employees of the Department for Work and Pensions, and funding for the ICE service is provided by the Department. For Freedom of Information purposes the ICE office is bound by the Department’s process.

3. The Independent Case Examiner produces an Annual Report for the Permanent Secretary, in relation to the complaints he deals with. All reports are made available to the public and can be viewed at www.ind-case-exam.org.uk/.

4. As previously stated, ICE staff are employed by the Department for Work and Pensions and therefore use the Departments e-mail addresses.

If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing [email protected] or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, 5th Floor The Adelphi, 1-11, John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.

If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team

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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act

If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing freedom-of-information- [email protected] or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, 5th Floor The Adelphi, 1-11, John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF www.ico.gov.uk