Our Ref:          FOI-2739-1819

Thank you for your request received on 17 January 2019 asking for information about People’s Vote advertisements.
 
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 do hold the information you require. You asked:
 
How much has TFL received for each advertisement from the People’s Vote displayed on TFL and it’s associates properties ie London Underground Stations over the past 6 months ?
How many Peoples Vote advertisements have been displayed by TFL in the past 6 months?
 
People’s Vote have run two campaigns on the TfL network. The first a one day campaign on 18 October 2018, the second a two week campaign running from 14 – 27 January 2019.
 
For both campaigns, People’s Vote paid a commercial rate. Their first campaign in October 2018 had a rate card value of £40,114.80. Their second campaign in January 2019 had a rate card value of £15,976.00. As is normal, the actual amount paid was subject to negotiation between the client and our advertising partner.
 
In accordance with the FOI Act we are not obliged to supply the final price paid as this is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2). The disclosure of the negotiated rate would prejudice our ability to maximise future revenue from advertising.
 
In this instance the section 43(2) exemption has been applied to the final price paid as disclosure would be likely to prejudice our commercial interests. These values are subject to negotiation with the advertising partner, and the disclosure of any negotiated rate would prejudice our ability to maximise future revenue from advertising.
 
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 the public interest in ensuring that we are able to obtain the best value for public money outweighs the general public interest in increasing transparency of our processes.
 
Who at TFL authorised politically biased advertisements to be displayed on TFL and its associates properties?
 
Both campaigns were reviewed by TfL and found not to contravene our advertising policy, as neither campaign promoted a cause associated with a specific political party. A copy of our policy is available on our website:
 
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-advertising-policy.pdf
 
If this is not the information you are looking for 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

[email protected]