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The Met Office: dealing with an unexpected increase in requests

ICO comment: how this case study can help you

This case study explains how the Met Office’s regulations team successfully handled an influx of requests about climate change records and weather observations, whilst continuing to ensure consistency and robustness in their responses. Despite a challenging year, the team achieved 100% compliance in handling EIR requests and 97% with FOI. In March 2024, they were awarded Highly Commended Team of the Year at the eCase FOI24 awards.

The challenge

In 2023, the team received an unprecedented influx of EIR requests, largely due to an increase in climate misinformation comments on social media channels. Multiple operational areas and staff were responsible for the requested information, including senior staff who weren’t usually part of the FOI/EIR process.

To meet their commitment to openness and transparency, the team addressed the four key areas set out below.

1. Cross-office communication

The team took a proactive, cross-office approach to ensure effective collaboration and consistency. They knew strong relationships would be critical in order to maintain the Met Office’s authoritative voice during a challenging time.

Here are some of their tips to create good relationships with asset owners:

  • Create a database of staff responsible for data and corporate information assets.
  • Offer an informal call to any new information asset owners, to introduce yourselves as FOI officers and answer any FOI/EIR questions. This should create a positive relationship with those new to the role, and promote a friendly and collaborative environment.
  • Use a standardised email to contact asset owners after receiving a request, including what’s been requested, the requirements and the timeframe.
  • Meet with the staff responsible for information assets to discuss any concerns and queries.
  • Learn from each other and use what you’ve learned to build a knowledge bank – this helps with handling future requests.
  • Report monthly to your senior leaders on the number and type of requests.

2. Proactive publication

The team identified recurring request themes and worked with the communications team to develop a toolkit on the website. The toolkit addresses hot topics, rebuts misinformation and provides clear information via new web pages. Where appropriate, the team will be able to signpost future requests to the toolkit.

On an ongoing basis, the team:

  • monitor hot topics and recurring themes, including comments on their social media;
  • publish information on specific topics of interest on the website;
  • keep the disclosure log up to date with frequently-requested information; and
  • advise relevant teams proactively if there are common themes in requests, to better consider how to respond efficiently.

3. Training and knowledge-sharing

Members of the team work closely together to consider exemptions or exceptions and the public interest test. They proactively share knowledge with each other, learning together when considering an exemption or exception not previously relied on. This openness and willingness to learn ensures that appropriate knowledge is in place.

In 2023, the team also developed and rolled out FOI and EIR training to the organisation, to enable staff to feel confident in managing information and understanding the key principles of FOI and EIR.

The training is linked from various internal pages, so that anyone searching for “FOI” will find it. It takes the form of a manageable, prerecorded, interactive half-hour session, available for staff to engage with at a convenient time.

4. Maintaining awareness of FOI and EIR

The team work to ensure that awareness of FOI and EIR remains high at the Met Office. As a result:

  • staff share FOI and EIR updates as internal news stories on the intranet;
  • senior leaders refer to the team’s work in all staff briefings; and
  • the intranet includes a detailed page dedicated to FOI and EIR. It includes FAQs and links to training options for all members of staff.

Final tips for customer service

The team pride themselves in providing advice and assistance when they don’t hold, or can’t provide, requested information. This alleviates further requests, internal reviews and referrals to the ICO.