FOI 41-24: Information about devices, software and services used by the Assembly Commission

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

Our Ref: FOI 41-24

8 October 2024

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 9 September 2024 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). In your request, you asked:

"Q1. Can you please list the number of devices deployed by your organisation for the following by Device Type and the Number of Devices?

• Desktop PCs
• Laptops
• Mobile Phones
• Printers
• Multi-Functional Devices (MFDs)
• Tablets
• Physical Servers
• Storage Devices (for example: NAS, SAN)
• Networking Infrastructure (for example: Switches, Routers, Interfaces, Wireless Access Points)
• Security Infrastructure (for example: Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Virus Monitoring Tools)

Q2. Does your organisation plan to procure any of the below enterprise applications or software, if yes, please provide information in the below format? Please note, if the applications you're planning to procure are not listed below then do mention them separately." For the 2024/25 Spend/Budget (£000) and then the 2025/26 Spend/Budget (£000)

• Content Management System
• Supply Chain Management (SCM)
• Inventory Management Software
• Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Software
• Business Intelligence Systems
• Other software/apps (mention the name of the software)

Q3. Do you have any plans to procure End user devices?

(desktop/laptop/tablet/mobile phones etc.), if yes, please provide information in the below format for the 2024/25 Spend/Budget (£000) and the 2025/26 Spend/Budget (£000)

• Desktops
• Laptops
• Mobile Phones
• Tablets and Others (if Others, please specify)

Q4. Do you have any plans to procure below services/software? if yes, please provide information in the below format for the 2024/25 Spend/Budget (£000) and the 2025/26 Spend/Budget (£000).

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Cyber Security"

Our response

Q1. The Assembly Commission holds information in relation to your request, which has been outlined in Appendix A below.

Q 2-4. The Assembly Commission considers that the information relevant to this part of your request is exempt from disclosure under section 43(2) of the FOIA on the grounds that it is commercially sensitive. This section provides as follows-

'(2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it)'.

Section 43 (2) of the FOIA 2000 is a qualified exemption and the Assembly Commission has accordingly considered whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs than that in providing the information.

The Assembly Commission notes the following factors relevant to maintaining the exemption-

(i) There is a significant public interest in private companies, including SMEs, being able to compete for public contracts on a level playing field, and disclosure of the withheld information would prejudice the ability to compete, and undermine that public interest.

(ii) It is more likely than not that disclosure of the information sought at Q2-4 would lead to costs for goods and services provided to the Assembly Commission being used as a benchmark for future person's bids to supply goods and services to the Assembly Commission. This is likely to result in higher procurement costs. It would erode any commercial advantage the Assembly Commission has in such negotiations, have a negative effect on value for money procurements, and impact negatively on the public purse.

(iii) While there is a significant public interest in ensuring proper scrutiny of the Assembly Commission's use of public money, this can be achieved in a manner which is less likely to prejudice the commercial position of the Assembly Commission and third parties - via scrutiny of the Assembly Commission's budget by the Assembly's Audit Committee, audit of the Assembly Commission's financial statements by the Northern Ireland Audit Office and compliance with public procurement legislation, including publication of contract awards.

The Assembly Commission notes the following factor relevant to disclosing the information-

There is a significant public interest in ensuring proper scrutiny of the Assembly Commission's use of public money and the manner in which it carries out public procurements.

In this case, the Assembly Commission has determined that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Further Information

You have the right to request an internal review of this decision by the Assembly Commission. If you wish to request such a review, please write to me at the above address. If, after that review, you are dissatisfied with the way in which the Assembly Commission has handled your request for information, you may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Your request for information and our response may be published in the disclosure log maintained by the Assembly Commission under a publication scheme agreed with the ICO. The request and our response will be anonymised.

Yours sincerely

Information Standards

Appendix A

Q1. Can you please list the number of devices deployed by your organisation for the following?