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Your right to information

Accessing general information held by the MPS

To request access to general information held by the MPS.

New Scotland YardThe MPS is known around the world, therefore, there is a great deal of public interest in the information we hold.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000 gives you the right to ask to see general information held by UK public authorities. This includes the Metropolitan Police Service.

To request access to information about yourself that may be held about you by the MPS or on the Police National Computer, you will need to make a Subject Access Request.

To help us answer your FOIA request quickly, please follow the process shown below. This will enable us to answer requests under FOIA, while meeting our core responsibility to police London.

If the information you want is not already published, we will work to release the information. Please understand that some information must remain confidential to support our work in preventing and detecting crime in London and elsewhere.

Making an FOIA request

We actively publish information through the MPS Publication Scheme. This Scheme has been approved by the Information Commissioner and follows the standard format used by police services in England, Wales, Northern Ireland.

If the information you require is not available via the MPS Publication Scheme please complete our FOIA request form. This will help us to deal with your request efficiently.

Please state clearly the information you require and provide a name and return address. If possible, please supply a telephone number so we can contact you if we need further details about the information you are requesting.

Alternatively, you can email your request to PublicAccessOffice@met.police.uk or send your written FOIA request to MPS Public Access Office, PO Box 57192, London, SW6 1SF. Please mark your correspondence FOIA.

FOIA in the UK Police Service

The police service in the UK is committed to providing a consistent and high-quality response to requests for information made under the FOIA. This means that you can expect to receive the same high level of service irrespective of the police service to which your request is made.

The procedures for handling requests for information in the MPS follow national guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).