FOI 24-23: Parcels and letters received and processes for receiving inbound mail

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

Our Ref: FOI 24-23

12 September 2023

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”)

I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 22 August 2023 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In your request, you asked:

“I am writing to make an open government request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I would like answers to the questions below to be provided to me via email.

1. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many parcels (ie. not a postcard, letter, or flat envelope) did your organisation receive? If the precise data isn’t available, please provide an estimate.

2. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many letters did your organisation receive? If the precise data is not available, please provide an estimate.

The Assembly Commission keeps records of items of mail received for a period of 90 days. As this request covers the period 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023, we can only respond in respect of the period 24 May 2023 to 31 July 2023. The Assembly Commission only records aggregate numbers of mail items and does not break this down into specific categories. The total number of items received during the period 24 May 2023 to 31July 2023 is 743.

3. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many mail items (including packages, letters, and flat envelopes) did you receive that were deemed ‘suspicious’?

This might include:

• Parcels with protruding wires, aluminium foil, or oil stains

• Mail items emitting a peculiar odour

• Greasy or oily patches on the mail item

• Mail items sealed in such a way so as to encourage opening them at a particular end

• Unusually printed address that might include spelling errors

• Adverse physical reaction to the handling of the mail item – e.g., itching or irritation

• No return address or return address that cannot be verified

• Unusual postmark or no postmark

No items of mail were reported under the listed criteria during the reporting period 24 May 2023 to 31 July 2023.

4. In relation to question 3, how many of these suspicious mail items actually contained something dangerous / unpleasant / illegal?

This might include:

• Substances and objects which may explode

• Gases which have been compressed, liquefied, or dissolved under pressure

• Flammable liquids and solids

• Biological substances

• Asbestos

• Controlled drugs and narcotics

• Corrosives

• Live creatures, insects, and invertebrates

• Waste, dirt, filth, or refuse

• Weapons and sharp objects

• Poisons, toxic liquids, solids, and gases

• Obscene publications or unlawful indecent images

No items of mail were reported under the listed criteria during the reporting period 24 May 2023 to 31 July 2023.

5. In relation to question 4, how many of these mail items did your organisation report to the police?

During the period 24 May 2023 to 31 July 2023 no items of mail were reported to the Police.

6. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many unpleasant / threatening letters did your organisation receive?

This might include:

• Letters containing threats to the organisation or a member of the organisation

• Letters containing hate speech

• Letters containing blackmail

• Letters constituting harassment

During the period 24 May 2023 to 31 July 2023 no items of mail were reported as being unpleasant or threatening.

7. If possible, what process do you have in place for receiving inbound mail?

Please select all that apply.

a) A record is kept of all packages and letters that arrived

b) All mail items are scanned on delivery

c) The mailroom is under 24/7 surveillance

d) All mail is tracked all the way to the end recipient (if an individual)

Please feel free to disregard this question if it will take too long to answer.”

Mail received by the Assembly Commission is primarily delivered by Royal Mail to the Stormont Estate, where it is screened before delivery to Parliament Buildings.

Further checks are carried out by Assembly Commission staff before being sorted and delivered to addressees. Assembly Commission staff tasked with the delivery of mail, record the number of items of mail delivered to addressees and this information is recorded and held for 90 days before it is manually deleted.

You have the right to request a formal review by the Assembly Commission and if you wish to do so, please write to me at the above address. If after such an internal review you are still unhappy with the response, you may appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF which will undertake an independent review.

INFORMATION STANDARDS