Request ID: FOI-0618-2223 Date published: 27 July 2022
You asked
Contained within the FORS document title as the FORS Quality Assurance Guidance for Operators a department called the FORS quality assurance team is referenced.
Covering the period 01/04/2021 - 13/06/2022 I would like to be provided with copies of the following information;
1. Copies of all the training documents that members of the FORS quality assurance team have received, 2. Copies of all the induction documents (limited to training documents) that members of the FORS quality assurance team receive when they join the team, 3. Copies of any reference guides that members of the FORS quality assurance team have received.
Please provide all documents in the format they are presented to members of the FORS quality assurance team.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-0618-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 13 June 2022, asking for documents used by the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) quality assurance team.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require.
Our service provider Sopra Steria recruits experienced staff who have the skills and experience to undertake the role and provide them with appropriate training based on the requirements of the FORS and leveraging existing experience within the team to ensure delivery of services to TfL and FORS operators.
I understand that the following documents have been provided to you previously: - The Writing FORS Guidance, The Bronze Auditor guidance document and The FORS Standard. These are issued to all audit providers and provide clear guidance in delivering audit services related to FORS accreditation.
In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.
However, in accordance with the FOI Act we are not obliged to supply any other documents issued to the FORs Quality Assurance team so as to ensure integrity of the audit process. In this instance these internal documents are subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 38(1) – Health & Safety. The documents you have requested are critical to the scheme’s purpose as a safety accreditation scheme and disclosure of this information, particularly the processes and documents which are used for quality assurance and auditing the auditors, could adversely affect the safety function of the FORS scheme. Disclosure of the documents would put the ‘auditing the auditor’ quality assurance process at risk. For example if an auditor had access to this information, they may only target the areas they knew are likely to be checked by the FORS compliance and quality assurance team, ultimately increasing the risks on the roads. These documents are designed to assess and prevent companies that would usually fail safety audits, being passed by an insufficient quality auditor.
Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than you own personal interest, disclosure of this information to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’. These documents are solely used by the FORS quality assurance team whilst conducting random assurance checks on Audit Providers or Auditors. The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance we feel that ensuring safety on the roads and protecting the public at large puts the balance in favour of withholding the information.
If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
