FOI request (FOIR-599333299)

HR and Payroll

Requested Mon 25 March 2024
Responded Wed 10 April 2024

We are writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information. Please provide the following details:

1. What software do you use for your payroll, HR, and finance solutions, how much annually do you spend on each, when does each contract expire?

2. Do you manage your payroll in-house or do you outsource it? If so, who do you outsource it to?

3. How many people do you pay each month using your payroll solution?

4. How many pensioners do you pay using your payroll solution?

5. Do you use Microsoft power platform technologies such as Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents?

6. What is the employee count in your organisation?

7. Do you collaborate with other organisations in the delivery of HR and Payroll shared services? If so, which organisation?

8. Do you work with any industry experts such as ATOS, KPMG, EY, Accenture, and so on?

9. Who in your organisation is the head of service for HR and Payroll software or services and what is their role?

Response

1. NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information you have requested in relation to question 1 is commercially sensitive and falls under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act - Commercially Sensitive Information - Information prejudicing commercial interests - commercial interest relating to an organisation's commercial activity and may include trading activity procurement and relationships with third parties.

The exemption afforded by Section 43 is subject to what is known as the 'public interest test'. When applying the test in a particular case a public authority is deciding whether the public interest is better served by non-disclosure than by disclosure.

Although the Freedom of Information Act does not define 'in the public interest', there is a presumption under Freedom of Information that openness is in the public interest. In applying the public interest test a public authority will take into account the distinction that has been often made by courts between things that are in the public interest, and things that merely interest the public. Where applicants have not identified public interest considerations succinctly or accurately, the public authority has a responsibility under the Act to make their own assessment of the public interest considerations in the particular case.

We have identified the following public interest factors that may be seen as encouraging the disclosure of information:

a) accountability of public spending.

We consider these factors to be of limited relevance in relation to the information in question.

Public interest factors seen as encouraging non-disclosure are, generally, the exemptions themselves. In consideration of this matter we came to the following conclusions:

a) ensuring that companies are able to compete for business fairly.

b) damage to reputation and/or financial interests.

In weighing the factors for and against disclosure we have concluded that the likely benefit to the applicant and the wider public of disclosure is outweighed by the likely prejudice caused by such disclosure and that therefore the public interest is better served by non-disclosure.

For the reasons given above we will not be communicating to you the information you have requested.

2. In-house

3. Average 350

4. Zero

5. No

6. 340 employees

7. No

8. No

9. Verna Connolly, Head of People and Business Support