Request ID: FOI-2126-2223 Date published: 20 December 2022
You asked
I am writing in connection with recent reports regarding the decision to ban Qatar-linked adverts on TFL services.
Please provide the following information:
- TFL suspended adverts from a number of countries including Qatar in 2019 amid a review into human rights issues.
Since that point, how many new adverts have been rejected as a result of that decision?
Please provide this information as a list of how many adverts have been rejected from each individual country subject to the suspension (i.e the number linked to Qatar, Pakistan, Brunei, Saudi Arabia etc respectively).
- The FT’s reporting notes that TFL has acknowledged “some” Qatar adverts have run since then.
How many Qatar adverts have run since the 2019 suspension?
What is the estimated expenditure on these?
- Please provide an estimate of the amount spent by Qatar on TFL advertising, annually, for each of the 10 years to 2022. For 2022, please provide the figure for the year so far up until the date this request is answered.
- The FT's reporting also notes TFL enforced a total ban on Qatar adverts this month.
Please provide any and all minutes of meetings regarding the decision to enforce this ban.
- The FT's reporting further notes Q22 and Qatar’s tourism authority have both been contacted about the ban.
Please provide copies of this correspondence.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-2126-2223
Thank you for your request received on 28 November 2022 asking for information about advertisements linked to Qatar.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require. You asked:
• TFL suspended adverts from a number of countries including Qatar in 2019 amid a review into human rights issues.
Since that point, how many new adverts have been rejected as a result of that decision? Please provide this information as a list of how many adverts have been rejected from each individual country subject to the suspension (i.e the number linked to Qatar, Pakistan, Brunei, Saudi Arabia etc respectively).
Since 2019, all advertisements that reference countries identified by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) as either having “legal certainty” of the death penalty for same-sex sexual acts, or that most probably have the death penalty but where there is less legal certainty, are referred to TfL by its advertising partners for review. Each campaign continues to be reviewed by TfL on a case-by-case basis against its Advertising Policy in light of circumstances at the time an advertisement is submitted for consideration.
Four campaigns/creatives have been rejected since we have requested countries on the ILGA list be referred to us or while the review was taking place.
Qatar – 1 Dubai – 1 Saudi Arabia – 2
• The FT’s reporting notes that TFL has acknowledged “some” Qatar adverts have run since then. How many Qatar adverts have run since the 2019 suspension?
We have approved five campaigns that relate to Qatar between April 2019 – August 2022. Please note that this information is from a manual search as it is not a category that is tracked.
• What is the estimated expenditure on these? • Please provide an estimate of the amount spent by Qatar on TFL advertising, annually, for each of the 10 years to 2022. For 2022, please provide the figure for the year so far up until the date this request is answered
We do not hold this information.
• The FT's reporting also notes TFL enforced a total ban on Qatar adverts this month
We did not enforce a total ban on Qatar adverts. As stated above, since 2019 , all advertisements that reference countries identified by the ILGA as either having “legal certainty” of the death penalty for same-sex sexual acts, or that most probably have the death penalty but where there is less legal certainty, are referred to TfL by its advertising partners for review. Each campaign continues to be reviewed by TfL on a case-by-case basis against its Advertising Policy in light of circumstances at the time an advertisement is submitted for consideration.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022 getting underway, we issued further guidance on the advertising which we are likely to consider acceptable to run around the tournament.
• Please provide any and all minutes of meetings regarding the decision to enforce this ban. • The FT's reporting further notes Q22 and Qatar’s tourism authority have both been contacted about the ban
We do not hold any minutes or further notes, as stated above we did not enforce a total ban on Qatar adverts.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
