Cost of staffing the Pro-Palestine march and counter-protests in central London on Armistice Day 2023

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.033887

I note you seek access to the following information:

I would like to make a Freedom of Information request.

Please could you tell me the total cost of staffing the Pro-Palestine march and counter-protests in central London on Armistice Day (November 11) 2023.

I would like this to be broken down into the following:
1) The cost of the round-the-clock police guard of The Cenotaph
2) The cost of officers on duty (both on the ground and in control rooms etc.)
3) The cost of drafting in officers from other forces (including accommodation/living costs)
4) I would also like to know the total cost of staffing the Armistice Day events in central London on November 11, 2022.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Section 22 – Information intended for future publication

Reason for decision

Questions 1 – 3
Q1 - The cost of the round-the-clock police guard of The Cenotaph
Q2 - The cost of officers on duty (both on the ground and in control rooms etc.)
Q3 - The cost of drafting in officers from other forces (including accommodation/living costs)

Section 22 – The information requested within question 1 – 3 have been identified as being intended for future publication on the MPS Publication Scheme by 31 January 2024.

Section 22 of the Act provides public authorities with an exclusion from the duty to disclose information under Section 1(1)(b) of the Act, when the information is held with a view to its publication by any person, at any future date (whether determined or not).

The MPS has a process for both identifying and publishing police information that is of public interest. This is an established process which is primarily designed to engage the general public in the work of the police service but importantly, also serves to reduce the financial and administrative cost of responding to requests for information under the Act. The MPS receives a considerable number of requests for information that is due to be published. It would be both administratively and financially prohibitive for the MPS to release information in response to individual requests when the information requested will be published in the near future.

When a request for information is made to which an exemption under the Act applies, I must determine whether the exemption should be claimed and in the case of exemptions that are qualified, determine whether release is in the public interest.

Having considered your request, I have chosen to claim Section 22 of the Act as the requested information will be published in due course. I also believe that it would be inefficient to duplicate the work that will be completed. For these reasons, I consider that release of the information sought under the Act, to be contrary to the public interest. I have accordingly refused your request.

Disclosure

Q4 - I would also like to know the total cost of staffing the Armistice Day events in central London on November 11, 2022.

Western Front Assoc. Parade & Wreath Laying total cost £18,634.