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Freedom of Information

We routinely publish information on our website about what we do. If you can’t find the information you are interested in you can make a request using our freedom of information request form. For details about how we handle FOI and Environmental requests please read our FOI Standard and Procedure.

For information about how many FOI requests we have had and how we have dealt with them you can visit the FOI request statistics page. These figures are updated every quarter.

Freedom of Information Responses

The following responses have been received by the bank. This page will be updated on a monthly basis.

In this section:

Applications and Software

    FOI 24-013

    Reference FOI 24-013

    Received: 08/05/2024

    Responded: 04/07/2024

    Request: Thank you for your response to my Foi request ref 24-004 today. You confirmed that British Business Bank (BBB) migrated to M365 in 2018.

    I now request that you supply me with a copy of BBB most recent Microsoft Licensing Statement (MLS). I am not requesting this information to generate any business. We are not looking to buy, or, sell software licences as we are no longer trading. We only want to understand how the organisations Microsoft portfolio has evolved over the years.

    We have reached out to almost every council/public authority in the country and have requested and received many MLS’s. Unless you already have the latest MLS, could you reach out to your IT reseller and obtain it. your reseller will have access to this. A reseller may say they do not have the MLS, but, resellers can source these from Microsoft. If Microsoft were ever to perform an audit, BBB would require an MLS for basic audit requirements. This document is something Microsoft can provide with a minimum of fuss. 

    Please send me the full MLS which will have the following tabs along the bottom, which, will be, in the form of an Excel document – 

    I believe that BBB has an obligation to source the information we have requested. Please see the information I have copied from the Information Commissioner’s Office website below.

    (2) For the purposes of this Act, information is held by a public authority if—

    (a) it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person, or 

    (b) it is held by another person on behalf of the authority. 

    Furthermore, BBB has a legal right to call for/provide this under the terms of its contract with its software reseller and therefore this information is held by the reseller on behalf of BBB under s.3(2) FOIA. It is therefore subject to FOIA. This is well-established in a number of decisions of the Commissioner and the FTT, see for example Conscape Ltd v the Information Commissioner and the Department for Regional Development (Northern Ireland). Accordingly, the full, unredacted MLS is disclosable under FOIA.

    Download our response (ODT, 193 KB)
    Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-013
    Download correspondence (PDF, 205 KB)

    FOI 24-010

    Reference FOI 24-010

    Received: 26/04/2024

    Responded: 28/05/2024

    Request: I’m writing to request the following information below from your FM, compliance and space management departments. 

    Questions in format provided below. Please feel free to contact me if anything is needed to clarify further. 

    If any, which software solution(s) are used to manage your corporate property/assets, ownerships and occupations, lease agreements and facilities management (CAFM), and who are your current provider(s)?                  

    What is the start date and duration of the contract(s)?                  

    Is there an extension clause in the contract(s) and, if so, the duration of the extension?                  

    Has a decision been made yet on whether the contract(s) will be extended or renewed?                  

    What is the annual value of the contract(s)?                 

    What is the total contract value of each contract?                 

    How was the contract(s) procured, e.g., framework/tender?

    Download our response (.ODT, 180 KB)

    FOI 24-006

    Reference FOI 24-006

    Received: 15/04/2024

    Responded: 08/05/2024

    Request: Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would request you to respond to questions included in the attachment.

    For any reason if you are unable to open the attachment do let me know. I can then send the questions within the email itself.

    Please note: If you do not have records relating to the questions in the attachment, please pass on this request to your IT department to provide us with the required information.

    Download our response (.ODT, 191 KB)

    FOI 24-004

    Reference FOI 24-004

    Received: 15/04/2024

    Responded: 08/05/2024

    Request: To Whom It May Concern,

    1/ Is the British Business Bank (BBB) currently using Microsoft Office M365/O365 subscriptions to licence its desktops?

    2/ If the answer to question 1 is yes, can you confirm the date the BBB initially migrated to Microsoft Office M365/O365?

    3/ If the answer to question 1 is yes, can you confirm what version(s) and quantities of perpetual (owned outright)/On Premise desktop application licences (such as Microsoft Office) were previously used to licence your desktops?

    4/ Did the BBB use the 'FromSA' product SKU when it initially migrated to M365/O365 to obtain discounts?

    If the BBB have migrated to M365/O365 please answer the following

    5/ Did Microsoft (or a third party on its behalf) carry out an audit of your Microsoft software assets in the period prior to your potential migration to O365/M365?

    6/ If so, what date did any such audits start and finish?

    7/ What is the corporate identity of the party carrying out the audit, e.g. Microsoft or the name of the third-party auditing company?

    8/ Did the audit identify any breaches of, underlicensing, or non-compliance with, your licensing conditions?

    9/ If so, were any incentives relating to such breaches or non-compliance given by Microsoft to encourage your organisation to move to Microsoft cloud subscription licences?

    10/ If so, please provide details/documentation of these incentives.

    Download our response (.ODT, 180 KB)

    FOI 24-003

    Reference FOI 24-003

    Received: 15/04/2024

    Responded: 08/05/2024

    Request: To the organisation’s Freedom of Information Officer,

    This is an email to request information under the FOI Act.

    I want to apologise in advance for the length of this request, the first part is just an outline of the request bellow (A-D) I have added this for clarification so you know exactly what I am referring to. Can you please read all the information within the request this is an urgent request so if you could please provide me with the information before the 20 working days this will be greatly appreciated.

    You may have received the same request in the past and this information sent has now expired and I require an update as soon as possible for the following.

    The information I require relates to the organisation’s software contract, please send me the organisation’s primary contract around the types of contracts below.

    I require the organisations to provide me with the following contract information relating to the following corporate software/enterprise applications:

    A. Enterprise Resource Planning Software Solution (ERP) -this is the organisation’s main

    ERP system and may include service support, maintenance and upgrades.

    B. Primary Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Solution-this is the organisation’s main

    CRM system and may include service support, maintenance and upgrades. Example of CRM systems the organisation may use could include Microsoft Dynamics, Front Office, Lagan CRM, Firm step

    C. Primary Human Resources (HR) and Payroll Software Solution-this is the organisation’s main

    HR/payroll system and may include service support, maintenance and upgrades. In some cases, the HR contract maybe separate to the payroll contract please provide both types of contracts. Example of HR/Payroll systems the organisation may use could include iTrent, Resource link.

    D. The organisation’s primary corporate Finance Software Solution-this is the organisation’s main

    Finance system and may include service support, maintenance and upgrades. Example of finance systems the organisation may use could include E-Business suite, Agresso (Unit4), eFinancials, Integra, SAP

    In some cases you may come across contracts that provides service support maintenance and upgrades separate to the main software contract, please also provide this information in the response following the requested data below.

    For each of the categories above can you please provide me with the relevant contract information listed below:

    1. Software Category: ERP, CRM, HR, Payroll, Finance
    2. Name of Supplier: Can you please provide me with the software provider for each contract?
    3. The brand of the software: Can you please provide me with the actual name of the software. Please do not provide me with the supplier name again please provide me with the actual software name.
    4. Description of the contract: Please do not just state two to three words can you please provide me with detailed information about this contract and please state if upgrade, maintenance and support is included.

    Please also include any modules included within the contract as this will support the categories you have selected in question 1.

    1. Number of Users/Licenses: What is the total number of user/licenses for this contract?
    2. Annual Spend: What is the annual average spend for each contract?
    3. Contract Duration: What is the duration of the contract please include any available extensions within the contract.
    4. Contract Start Date: What is the start date of this contract? Please include month and year of the contract. DD-MM-YY or MM-YY.
    5. Contract Expiry: What is the expiry date of this contract? Please include month and year of the contract. DD-MM-YY or MM-YY.

    10. Contract Review Date: What is the review date of this contract? Please include month and year of the contract. If this cannot be provided, please provide me estimates of when the contract is likely to be reviewed. DD-MM-YY or MM-YY.

    11. Contact Details: I require the full contact details of the person within the organisation responsible for this particular software contract (name, job title, email, contact number).

    If any of the information is not available, please can you provide me with the notes on the reasons why?

    Regards

    Download our response (.ODT, 182 KB)

    Decision making and governance

      FOI 24-051

      Reference FOI 24-051

      Received: 27/11/2024

      Response: 10/12/2024

      Request: Could you please treat my request for the information below as a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

      Please could you provide the following information: 

      - The current rate of return on the British Business Bank's Future Fund holdings. 

      In the spirit of Section 16 of the FOI Act — to “provide advice and assistance, so far as it would be reasonable to expect the authority to do so, to persons who propose to make, or have made requests for information” — if you cannot answer this question, please contact me to discuss what information you could supply at the earliest opportunity on: +44(0)7745208708

      Please could you acknowledge this FOI request by reply with a reference on receipt.

      I look forward to hearing from you promptly within the statutory time limit of 20 working days from your receipt of this email and take this opportunity to remind you of the presumption in favour of disclosure under FOI.

      Please note that if this request for FOI disclosure is refused, I reserve the right to take up the matter with the Information Commissioner and/or to pursue all legal avenues of appeal. 

      Download our response (.ODT, 182 KB)

      FOI 24-046

      Reference FOI 24-046

      Received: 31/10/2024

      Response: 28/11/2024

      Request: I am writing to request access to information regarding British Business Bank’s commitments to private equity and venture capital funds.

      Specifically, I would like to request a list of the names of all private equity and venture capital funds that the British Business Bank has committed capital to. If available, I would also appreciate any associated details on:

      • The commitment amount for each investment
      • The paid-in capital for each fund
      • The net asset value (NAV) of each fund

      We sought clarification and they responded:

      I wasn't looking for information about a particular fund. I was more interested in the overall VC portfolio of the British Business Bank. Would it be possible to provide me with a list of the names of the VC investments of the BBB? If that is too broad, I would also be fine with a list of the VC investments from the last 3 years.

      Additionally, I'd be more than happy if you were able to provide additional information about those funds like the commitment amount for each investment, the current paid in capital and the net asset value of each fund.

      Download our response (.ODT, 188.91 KB)
      Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-046

      FOI 24-034

      Reference FOI 24-034

      Received: 30/08/2024

      Response: 27/09/2024

      Request: Please could you provide the following information within the timeframe specified within freedom of information guidance.

      Could you provide copies of the following documents.

      • Template of the employment contract issued to new employees
      • Your pay policy
      • Your maternity policy
      • Your paternity policy
      • Your pay bands / grades / scales for the years 2022-23 and 2023-24

      Could you also confirm:

      • The number of days annual leave offered to new employees, and explain how this increases over time.
      • Whether employees are allowed to buy and sell annual leave.
      • If so, how many days?
      • How many days of annual leave employees can carry over from one year to the next?The number of days employees are allowed to volunteer for (paid)?
      • The number of days employees are allowed to volunteer for (unpaid)?
      • Sickness entitlement of employees e.g. months paid at the full rate, half rate, , what qualifying period?
      • Whether the organisation closes between Xmas and New Year?
      • If so, whether the days between Xmas and New Year are part of your employees annual leave allowance?
      • % employer pension contributions
      • % employee pension contributions

      If you do not have any of the above information, please provide copies of documents or answers to as many requests as possible.

      Download our response (ODT, 182.88 KB) Download the additional response (ODT, 182 KB)
      Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-034

      FOI 24-022

      Reference FOI 24-022

      Received: 24/06/2024

      Response: 02/07/2024

      Request: I am completing my MSc Dissertation in Economics at Durham Univeristy, investigating the impact of regional disparities in credit access for SME productivity.

      Therefore, I am requesting access to SME finance survey data, from 2014-2022.

      Please let me know if I can provide any further information to support this request.

      Download our response (ODT, 180 KB)

      FOI 24-011

      Reference FOI 24-011

      Received: 01/05/2024

      Response: 16/05/2024

      Request:

      Future Fund & Staminier Ltd

      1. This is an FOI request to the British Business Bank because I want to establish the veracity of claims made by a company, Staminier Ltd, about its alleged relationship with the Future Fund.
      2. Disclosure: I write a blog at dralexmay.wordpress.com.
      3. I refer to the press release dated 4 April 2024 on the website of Greenbank Capital Inc: greenbankcapitalinc.com/update-on-staminier-lawsuit-and-cto/.
      4. The first section of the press release concerns Staminier Ltd and its alleged relationship with the Future Fund (“Staminier Future Fund loan extension request rejected”).
      5. Please tell me whether Staminier Ltd was a Future Fund-backed company. If so, when?
      Download our response (.ODT, 179 KB)

      What we spend and how we spend it

        FOI 24-057

        Reference FOI 24-057

        Received: 12/12/2024

        Responded: 16/12/2024

        Request: I am looking for some guidance with reference to the Government’s Transparency Agenda, which requires public sector bodies like yours to publish details of spend value. I have been onto your organisation’s website but I am unable to locate your Spend/Transparency data.

        https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/

        I would be grateful if you could advise where this information is available on your website.

        Download our response (ODT, 184 KB)

        FOI 24-055

        Reference FOI 24-055

        Received: 16/12/2024

        Responded: 19/12/2024

        Request: I would be most grateful if you would provide me, under the Freedom of Information Act, details in respect to the contract below.

        Contracts Register

        The details we require are:

        Who are the Suppliers who applied for inclusion on each framework/contract and were successful & not successful at the PQQ & ITT stages?

        What are the contractual performance KPI's for this contract?

        Actual spend on this contract/framework (and any sub lots), from the start of the contract to the current date

        Has a decision been made yet on whether the framework(s)/contract(s) are being either extended or renewed?

        Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for this contract?

        Download our response (ODT, 182 KB)

        FOI 24-054

        Reference FOI 24-054

        Received: 11/12/2024

        Responded: 13/12/2024

        Request: Hi, please can you tell me what companies are listed under the government-approved finance platforms (alternative business funding, funding options and funding xchange) under the Bank Referral Scheme? Additionally, please can you provide more information regarding how the BRS is mandated/regulated and what the consequences are for failing to abide by the scheme?

        Download our response (ODT, 180 KB)

        FOI 24-048

        Reference FOI 24-048

        Received: 19/10/2024

        Responded: 25/11/2024

        Request: Please could you confirm the name of the supplier and the name of the solution used for HR and/or Payroll at British Business Bank.

        Could you confirm when the current contracts for HR and Payroll are ending.

        Does British Business Bank intend to procure for replacement solutions in 2025 or 2026.

        Download our response (ODT, 182 KB)

        FOI 24-042

        Reference FOI 24-042

        Received: 11/10/2024

        Responded: 28/10/2024

        Request:I would be most grateful if you would provide me, under the Freedom of Information Act, the following information regarding your facilities management approach:

        • How are facilities management services (hard FM, soft FM or TFM) handled across your estates? This refers to;
        • HARD FM - refers to physical structural maintenance services eg HVAC, plumbing, mechanical & electrical maintenance contracts
        • SOFT FM - people managed services eg security, cleaning, waste management contracts
        • TFM - all the above included as a total contract - Total facilities management
        • If any services are outsourced, which services and to which suppliers?
        • What are the start dates and durations of these contracts, including the end date, and which services are included in each?
        • What are the values of the contracts?
        • Is there an extension clause in the contract(s) and if so, what is the duration of the extension?
        • Has a decision been made yet on whether the contract(s) are being either extended or renewed?

         

        Download our response (ODT, 182 KB)

        FOI 24-040

        Reference FOI 24-040

        Received: 11/10/2024

        Responded: 21/10/2024

        Request: Dear British Business Bank PLC,

        The information that we require is as follows:-

        1. Do you use a social media management platform?
        2. If so, what tools do you use?
        3. What is your annual spend on a Social media management tool?
        4. What dates does your contract with your current supplier end ( month & year) ?
        5. Do you use a social listening / media monitoring platform?
        6. If so, what tools do you use?
        7. What is your annual spend on a social listening / media monitoring tool?
        8. What dates does your contract with your current supplier end ( month & year)
        9. Who is the senior person responsible for managing these contracts?

        Yours faithfully,

        Download our response (ODT, 182 KB)

        FOI 24-035

        Reference FOI 24-035

        Received: 03/09/2024

        Responded: 17/09/2024

        Request: I want to make a Freedom of Information request, could you please send me the following information with regards to the organisation’s Mobile Phones contract.

        You may have received the same request in the past and this information sent has now expired and I require an update as soon as possible for the following information:

        If there is more than one provider, please split all the information including the annual average spend, number of connections, duration, contract dates and internal contact details.

        1. Network Provider(s) - Please provide me with the network provider name e.g., EE, Telefonica, Vodafone, Three
        2. Annual Average Spend for each Network Provider - If this is a new contract, can you please provide the estimated annual spend.
        3. Number of Connections- Number of connections for each network provider. (Number of voices only devices, voice and data devices, data only devices) please provide me with the breakdown and not the overall total.
        4. Duration of the contract- please state if the contract also includes contract extensions for each provider.
        5. Contract Start Date- please can you provide me with the start date of the signed agreement. Please do not provide me with the framework contract date I require the contract dates of the signed agreement. (if there are multiple start dates, could you please provide me with the earliest date for each provider)
        6. Contract Expiry Date- please can you provide me with the expiry date of the signed agreement. Please do not provide me with the framework contract date. I require the contract dates of the signed agreement. If the contract is rolling, please state.
        7. Contract Review Date- Please can you provide me with a date when the organisation plans to review this contract.
        8. The person in the organisation responsible for this particular contract. Can you send me the full contact details Contact Name, Job Title, Contact Number and direct email address for each network provider? If full contact details cannot be provided, please send me their actual job title.
        9. If the mobile phone contract is provided by a managed contract, please provide me with the actual name of the network provider along with the number of connections and the internal contact from within the organisation responsible for this contract.
        10. 10. Is this contract part of an aggregation exercise?

        Please can you provide me with the latest information - If the organisations are currently out to tender, please can you also state the approx. date of the award along with the information above.

        Also, if the contract in the response has expired/rolling please can you provide me with further information if available of the organisation's plans going forward with regards to mobiles and the contract status?

        If this contract was awarded within the past three months, can you please provide me with a shortlist of suppliers that bid on the contract?

        Download our response (ODT, 183.08 KB)

        FOI 24-026

        Reference FOI 24-026

        Received: 17/07/2024

        Responded: 14/08/2024

        Request: I would like to make an FOI request for information relating to the following contract award: GB-Sheffield: IT Hardware (https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/51b0f8bc-8947-457a-9a68-fb48ed727677)

        Please can you provide a breakdown of the items included in this contract?

        For each item, could you provide the following information, preferably in a CSV or Excel file:

        1. Product Name
        2. Product Brand
        3. EAN number (where applicable)
        4. SKU number (where applicable)
        5. Manufacturer name
        6. Part Number
        7. Requested Quantity
        8. 10. Price per item

        If any of this request is outside the scope of the FOIA, please answer what you can and advise and assist on the best way to uncover the remainder of the information.

        Download our response (ODT, 187.05 KB)
        Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-026

        FOI 24-024

        Reference FOI 24-024

        Received: 27/06/2024

        Responded: 19/07/2024

        Request: I am writing to submit a Freedom of Information request for information related to the organisation's contracts register, procurement strategy document, and contact details. Please find the detailed requests below:

        1. Contract Register Request:

        I am seeking the full and entirety of the organisation's contract register or database. The register should include the following columns/headings or something similar:

        • Contract Reference -Unique reference number associated with the contract.
        • Contract Title
        • Procurement Category
        • Supplier Name
        • Spend (Total, Annual or contract value)
        • Contract Duration
        • Contract Extensions
        • Contract Start Date
        • Contract Expiry Date
        • Contract Description [Please provide me with as much detail as possible.]
        • Contact Owner (Person that manages the contract register)
        • Contact details of section 151 officer
        • CPV codes/Pro-Class
        • How many contracts are currently held on the contract register

        If any of the headings within your contract register has not been provided, please state this within your response.

        Please provide the contract's register file in Excel format.

        2. Procurement Strategy Document Request:

        • Can the organisation provide a full version of their Procurement Strategy for the fiscal year 2024-2025?
        • If the Procurement Strategy is a strategic direction (2022-2025) instead of an annual plan, please provide an update document for 2023-2024. If an update cannot be provided, please provide information on when an update is planned to be published.
        • We require the full document. If any parts of this document have been removed, please state this within your response.

        3. Contact Details Request:

        • Provide contact details of the person responsible for API or data sharing, including [Name, Job Title, Telephone, Email Address].
        • Provide contact details of the person responsible for the actual contract's register, including [Name, Job Title, Telephone, Email Address].

        IMPORTANT:

        1. If the organisation has a CRM system or a similar system, ensure there is a facility to download and extract contract data.
        2. If providing a weblink to a portal, ensure that all contracts are included, as some organisations may only upload a small portion of their contracts.
        3. For organisations planning to make an exemption around spend, clarify that the spend information requested is an overall figure, and a complete breakdown is not required.

        Please provide the contract's register file in Excel format.

        Download our response (ODT, 185 KB)

        FOI 24-023

        Reference FOI 24-023

        Received: 24/06/2024

        Responded: 25/06/2024

        Request: Under the Freedom of Information Act, for the tax years 2014/15 to

        2022/23 inclusive, please would you please fully disclose the following details, breaking the figures by year:

        1. How much revenue has been received by your organisation for services rendered to film and television productions? This could include location rental, permits and all other services related to film productions using your personnel or resources.
        2. Please outline the type of work or service rendered, in each case and disclose the revenue received for each type of service.
        3. How much has your organisation spent on facilitating such arrangements between 2014/15 to 2022/23, inclusive, broken down by year?
        Download our response (.ODT, 180 KB)

        FOI 24-016

        Reference FOI 24-016

        Received: 31/05/2024

        Responded: 13/06/2024

        Request: 

        I am writing to submit a Freedom of Information (FOI) request regarding information related to the organisation’s gas and electricity contracts, as well as details on the energy management system.

        **Gas and Electricity Contracts: **

        1. Energy Provider
        2. Annual Spend for each provider for the past 3 financial years.
        3. Contract Duration (Including any extensions)
        4. Contract start date
        5. Contract Expiry Date
        6. Contract Review Dates
        7. Contact details of the person responsible, including job title
        8. Total Consumption of Gas, please provide me with the latest figure in cubic metres.
        9. Total Consumption of Electricity (NHH), please provide me with the latest figure in kWh for the past 3 financial years.
        10. Total Consumption of Electricity (HH), please provide me with the latest figure in kWh for the past 3 financial years.

        Energy Management System Contract(s) - Contract(s) relating to the organisation’s energy management system. An energy management system (EMS) is a system of computer-aided tools used by operators of electric utility grids to monitor, control, and optimise the performance of the generation or transmission system.

        If the organisation does not have an Energy Management System, please confirm when this will be implemented. It would be great if you mention the tentative date/month.

        Energy Management System

        1. Provider name
        2. Annual Spend
        3. Contract Duration (Including any extensions)
        4. Contract Expiry Date
        5. Contract start date
        6. Contract Review Date
        7. Contract Description – A description of the services provided.
        8. Brand of the software
        9. Total number of meter points for electricity:
        10. Non-Half Hourly (NHH) meter points
        11. Half Hourly (HH) meter points
        12. Total number of Gas meter points
        13. Total number of meter points for specialist gases and liquids
        14. Contact details of the person responsible, including job title
        Download our response (.ODT, 180 KB)

        FOI 24-008

        Reference FOI 24-008

        Received: 18/04/2024

        Responded: 08/05/2024

        Request: Please can you respond to the following request for Information.

        The details I require are:

        Spend on Office supplies and associated products for the below financial years.

        1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023

        1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024

        Start date & duration of Contract?

        Is there an extension clause in the contract and, if so, the duration of the extension?

        Has a decision been made yet on whether the contract is to be either extended or renewed?

        Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for the contract?

        Name of Incumbent Supplier?

        How long have you traded with them?

        If you publish your register of contracts and purchasing, can you please provide a website link.

        In addition, can you confirm if you have a contract in place for Tail End Spend.

        I look forward to receiving your response.

        Download our response (.ODT, 179 KB)

        FOI 24-007

        Reference FOI 24-007

        Received: 17/04/2024

        Responded: 09/05/2024

        Request: I want to make a Freedom of Information request, could you please send me the following information with regards to the organisation’s Mobile Phones contract.

        You may have received the same request in the past and this information sent has now expired and I require an update as soon as possible for the following information:

        If there is more than one provider, please split all the information including the annual average spend, number of connections, duration, contract dates and internal contact details.

        1. Network Provider(s) - Please provide me with the network provider name e.g., EE, Telefonica, Vodafone, Three
        2. Annual Average Spend for each Network Provider - If this is a new contract, can you please provide the estimated annual spend.
        3. Number of Connections- Number of connections for each network provider. (Number of voices only devices, voice and data devices, data only devices) please provide me with the breakdown and not the overall total.
        4. Duration of the contract- please state if the contract also includes contract extensions for each provider.
        5. Contract Start Date- please can you provide me with the start date of the signed agreement. Please do not provide me with the framework contract date I require the contract dates of the signed agreement. (if there are multiple start dates, could you please provide me with the earliest date for each provider)
        6. Contract Expiry Date- please can you provide me with the expiry date of the signed agreement. Please do not provide me with the framework contract date. I require the contract dates of the signed agreement. If the contract is rolling, please state.
        7. Contract Review Date- Please can you provide me with a date when the organisation plans to review this contract.
        8. The person in the organisation responsible for this particular contract. Can you send me the full contact details Contact Name, Job Title, Contact Number and direct email address for each network provider? If full contact details cannot be provided, please send me their actual job title.

        9.If the mobile phone contract is provided by a managed contract, please provide me with the actual name of the network provider along with the number of connections and the internal contact from within the organisation responsible for this contract.

        Please can you provide me with the latest information- If the organisations are currently out to tender, please can you also state the approx. date of the award along with the information above.

        Also, if the contract in the response has expired/rolling please can you provide me with further information if available of the organisation's plans going forward with regards to mobiles and the contract status?

        If this contract was awarded within the past three months, can you please provide me with a shortlist of suppliers that bid on the contract?

        Download our response (.ODT, 181 KB)

        Our products and programmes

          FOI 24-050

          Reference FOI 24-050

          Received: 21/11/2024

          Response: 12/12/2024

          Request: Please advise of the dates that’s the RLS loan we’re available for financial institutions to make available to to business.

          The date each RLS loan iteration started and finished

          Also the dates Funding Circle Limited were accredited to provide these iterations

          Start date and end date for each one

          Please also provide the full terms and conditions under which the RLS loan would be provided

          Please also provide any information under these contracts or terms that relate to

          1) Duty of care

          2) Act in good faith

          Please also provide information in relation to the RLS Scheme loan and the requirements for personal or director guarantor relating to supporting the application for such a loan.

          Please also advise of the time scale it will take to locate and provide this information

          Download our response (.ODT, 182 KB)
          Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-050

          FOI 24-049

          Reference FOI 24-049

          Received: 21/11/2024

          Response: 02/12/2024

          Request: I wish to submit to the organisation a freedom of information request relating to the organisation’s ICT contracts, specifically around:

          1. contact centre contract(s)
          2. inbound network services contract (s) 

          The first part of my request relates to contact centre service contracts which could relate to one of the following:

          1. Advanced call distribution to control the flow of calls and maximise customer experience
          2. Email, website live chat and integrations with popular social media apps like Facebook and Instagram
          3. Performance monitoring tools to track performance, customer satisfaction and other key sales metrics

           This could be part of a whole package or separate service applications.

          Please send me the following information for each provider:

          1. Incumbent Supplier: For each of the contract(s) please can you provide me with the supplier of the contract.
          2. Annual Average Spend: For each supplier, please state the annual average (over 3 years) spend for each supplier
          3. Contract Duration: For each supplier, please state the contract duration of the contract expires. If available please also include any contract extensions.
          4. Contract Expiry: For each supplier, please state the date of when the contract expires.
          5. Contract Review: For each supplier, please state the date of when the contract will be reviewed.
          6. Contract Description: For each supplier, please state a brief description of the services provided of the overall contract.
          7. Contact Details: For each supplier, please state the person from within the organisation responsible for the contract. Please provide me with their full name, actual job title, contact number and direct email address. At the very least please provide me with their actual job title.
          8. Number of Agents; please provide me with the total number of contact centre agents;
          9. Number of Sites; please can you provide me with the number of sites the contact centre covers.
          10. Manufacturer of the contact centre: Who is the manufacturer of the contact centre system that you operate?
          11. Do you use Microsoft Exchange 2003 as your email server? If not, then which products do you use?
          12. Number of email users: Approximate number of email users across the organisations.

          The second part of my request relates to the use inbound network services contracts which could relate to one of the following:

          1. 0800, 0845, 0870, 0844, 0300 number
          2. Routing of calls
          3. Caller Identifier
          4. Caller Profile- linking caller details with caller records
          5. Interactive voice response (IVR)

          For a contract relating to the above please can you provide me with?

          1. Incumbent Supplier: For each of the contract(s) please can you provide me with the supplier of the contract.
          2. Annual Average Spend: For each supplier, please state the annual average (over 3 years) spend for each supplier
          3. Contract Expiry: For each supplier, please state the date of when the contract expires.
          4. Contract Review: For each supplier, please state the date of when the contract will be reviewed.
          5. Contract Description: For each supplier, please state a brief description of the services provided of the overall contract.
          6. Contact Details: For each supplier, please state the person from within the organisation responsible for the contract. Please provide me with their full name, actual job title, contact number and direct email address.
          Download our response (.ODT, 189 KB)

          FOI 24-047

          Reference FOI 24-047

          Received: 13/11/2024

          Response: 04/12/2024

          Request: I would like to know whether GP Practices were allowed to apply for the Covid bounce back loans. Indeed did GPs successfully apply for this loan?

          Download our response (.ODT, 178 KB)

          FOI 24-045

          Reference FOI 24-045

          Received: 28/10/2024

          Response: 06/11/2024

          Request: To Whom it may concert,

          I am currently leading research for a project commissioned by the Korean Intellectual Property Office titled “Research on Appropriate Acquisition Scale of the Fund and Contribution Rate for the IP Collateral Loan Recovery Support fund.” While reviewing WIPO materials, I encountered a model for estimating the default rate of IP collateral loans at your bank. As a researcher, I would like to learn more about the details of this logistic regression model. Any assistance you could provide to help me study the model in depth would be greatly appreciated.

          Thank you in Advance.

          Download our response (.ODT, 180.77 KB)
          Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-045

          FOI 24-044

          Reference FOI 24-044

          Received: 28/10/2024

          Response: 18/11/2024

          Request: For the period since 2016, please list all loans, investments and guarantees (together "funds") issued by the Bank (and its various subsidiary partners) noting the counterparty to whom the funds were issued, the product the funds were issued under, the term of the funds issues, the sum of interest charged, the sum of fees charged, the amount of collections received by the bank, the amount of impairments yet to be be written off, the amount of losses written off.

          Download our response (.ODT, 181.65 KB)

          FOI 24-043

          Reference FOI 24-043

          Received: 15/11/2024

          Response: 17/12/2024

          Request:

          A full list of the private markets investments (including but not limited to Venture Capital funds, Private Equity funds, Infrastructure funds, Private Credit funds, Real Estate funds etc) held by the investment fund as of 26th October 2024.

          On a line by line basis, details of the following:
          Date of most recent fund update
          Fund manager name
          Fund number
          Fund vintage (year)
          Asset Class (PE/VC/Real Estate etc)
          Fund size
          Gross IRR %
          Net IRR %
          MOIC
          TVPI
          DPI

          Clarification received on 15/11/24: This request is in relation to investments made by British Patient Capital into private markets funds.

          Download our response (.ODT, 182 KB)

          FOI 24-041

          Reference FOI 24-041

          Received: 08/10/2024

          Response: 04/11/2024

          Request: Could I receive / review of the RFP?

          Could you provide a list and / or information of the other Fund Managers / Funds?

          What is the "Assessment" Process? Does the RFP specify ALL of the ESG Factors required by the Fund(s) to be 'Measured, Monitored and Reported' (my words)?

          Is it possible to see a comprehensive list of the ESG Factors?

          Could you provide information and / or an overview of the "Consideration" given is assessing the Fund(s)? For example, (but not limited to my enquiry) how is the Bank assessing "a well-defined approach to...etc.?

          Could you provide a 'Template' that the Fund(s) will be tasked with completing?

          Download our response (ODT, 182.41 KB)
          Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-041

          FOI 24-039

          Reference FOI 24-039

          Received: 11/10/2024

          Response: 06/11/2024

          Request: I am looking for up to date Bank Referral Scheme statistics, which were last published by HM Treasury in December 2020. (Link to past statistics page) We have been advised by the Treasury & the Dept for Business and Trade that you are the best place to contact.

          Ultimately, we are looking to find out -

          • The number of small businesses who were rejected for finance from one of the big banks and who have now been referred under the scheme since October 2020, as well as how this has changed YoY.
          • The total number of businesses the scheme has facilitated, and the total amount of funding given since October 2020 and how this has changed YoY.
          • The most successful quarter and/or year in terms of deals since October 2020.

          To help us find this out, we’d like the following data for the time period of October 2020 to present day. With the figures broken down by year and also quarters.

          • Value of quarterly funding
          • Quarterly referral and contact rates
          • Quarterly conversion rates
          • Referrals made by location
          • Deals made by location
          • Funding value distribution
          • Average deal size by location

          We would also like to understand the gender split between businesses that have benefited from the scheme since it began in November 2016 until present day, split by quarter and year. As well as referrals/funding limits by designated platform too over the same period (Nov 2016 until present day, split by quarter and year).

          Download our response (ODT, 179.58 KB)

          FOI 24-038

          Reference FOI 24-038

          Received: 01/10/2024

          Response: 10/10/2024

          Request: Please can you tell me how the £ value is calculated within your impact report: You say: "For every £1 invested in the scheme, £3.30 of value is delivered back into the UK economy"

          Download our response (ODT, 182 KB)

          FOI 24-037

          Reference FOI 24-037

          Received: 26/09/2024

          Response: 14/10/2024

          Request: How much money has the Future Fund provided to International Blue International Holdings?

          Download our response (ODT, 186 KB)

          FOI 24-036

          Reference FOI 24-036

          Received: 07/09/2024

          Response: 04/10/2024

          Request: I am writing on behalf of Ethical Equity, the UK’s first dedicated, ethically compliant investment platform connecting ethical start-ups and scale-ups with like-minded investors. Our mission is to support impact-driven businesses—especially those from underserved and minoritised founder communities—by providing access to financial opportunities that foster positive social, environmental, and cultural change.

          We are reaching out regarding the South West Investment Fund. We request the following information, specifically for the equity finance bit of the £200m fund:

          1. Total Number of Founders Applying for Equity Finance: Please provide the total number of founders who have applied to raise equity finance via your fund, along with a breakdown of each applicant’s gender and race.
          2. Applications Accepted and Rejected: From the total applications received, kindly indicate how many were accepted and rejected. Please also provide the gender and race of the applicants in each category.
          3. Support for Underserved Communities: Could you provide detailed information or data regarding your efforts to support underserved communities in accessing and securing equity finance from the £200m fund?

          Please consider this message as a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and we kindly ask for the information to be provided within the statutory timeframe.

          Thank you for your attention to this request. We look forward to your prompt and detailed response.

          Download our response (ODT, 186 KB)
          Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-036

          FOI 24-033

          Reference FOI 24-033

          Received: 22/08/2024

          Response: 27/09/2024

          Request: 

          Specifically, I request the following information:

          1. Due Diligence Process:

            Please provide information regarding the due diligence process undertaken by the British Business Bank before awarding the distribution contract to The FSE Group. What Pre-checks were conducted before awarding the contract to FSE? Did you have any information regarding their past performance for a similar contract? Have they handled a similar piece of work before?

          2. Contract Awarding Process:

            Please clarify the process used to award the contract to The FSE Group. What criteria were used to assess the potential candidates, and what were the specific requirements that The FSE Group met to be selected? Are we able to see their submissions and the initial tender.

          3. Audits and Oversight:

            When was the last time The FSE Group was audited in relation to their management of the Investment Fund for Scotland? What oversight mechanisms are in place to monitor the ongoing management of the fund by The FSE Group?

            Can we see the evidence of this, the outcomes and any minutes?

          4. Public Sector Equality Duty Compliance:

            How has the British Business Bank ensured that the Public Sector Equality Duty has been upheld in both the award of the contract and the management of public funds through this initiative?

          5. Diversity and Equality Statistics:

            What is the gender diversity split (proportion of women owned business to male) in the awarding of funds under the Investment Fund for Scotland? We would also like to see this figure in financial terms, for example, how much money has gone to female owned businesses, mixed gender teams and male teams?

            Does the British Business Bank or FSE commit to having a diverse panel when awarding funds for this contract?

          6. Financial Information:

            How much has The FSE Group been awarded to deliver the funds under the Investment Fund for Scotland?

          7. Equity Funding Requirements:

            What is the criteria for assessing businesses for the award of Investment Fund for Scotland funds.

          8. Reward Criteria:

            What are the specific reward criteria that were set for applicants under the Investment Fund for Scotland? How does the British Business Bank define "strong UK market," "Unique Selling Proposition (USP)," and "growth potential," particularly in cases where applications were rejected based on these criteria? After looking at an award given to another company, we are looking for clarity on the above points.

          9. Success Rates:

            How many applicants have been successful in receiving funding through the Investment Fund for Scotland? Specifically the debt fund being managed by FSE Group.

          10. Alignment with the Equality Act:

            How does the British Business Bank ensure that the processes and decisions made in relation to the Investment Fund for Scotland align with the Equality Act 2010?

          11. Fund Management:

            What processes are in place to manage the performance and actions of fund managers, such as The FSE Group, in the distribution and allocation of funds?

          We believe that the reliance on equity funding as a primary criterion for awarding funds constitutes direct discrimination, particularly in light of the significant gender disparity in the equity funding market.

          Evidence suggests that female-led businesses receive a disproportionately lower share of equity funding compared to their male counterparts. By emphasizing equity funding, the current process may inadvertently perpetuate this imbalance, resulting in unequal access to financial support for women entrepreneurs. This practice undermines the principles of equality and fairness that should guide the distribution of public funds

          Download our response (ODT, 198.56 KB)
          Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-033

          FOI 24-032

          Reference FOI 24-032

          Received: 15/08/2024

          Response: 04/09/2024

          Request: 

          I would like to request the following information:

          Monitoring Process: Details on how the British Business Bank monitors the distribution of equity investments made under the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II with regard to the following protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010:

          • Age
          • Disability
          • Gender reassignment
          • Marriage and civil partnership
          • Pregnancy and maternity
          • Race
          • Religion or belief
          • Sex
          • Sexual orientation

          Monitoring Criteria: Specific criteria, metrics, or indicators used by the British Business Bank to assess the distribution of equity investments across these protected characteristics.

          Data Collection: Procedures for collecting and analysing data related to the demographics or characteristics of beneficiaries receiving equity investments through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

          Annual Reports or Evaluations: Copies of any reports, evaluations, or summaries produced by the British Business Bank that assess the impact of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II on diversity and inclusion within recipient businesses.

          Policy Documents: Any policies, guidelines, or internal documents that outline the British Business Bank's approach to promoting equality and diversity in the distribution of equity investments.

          Download our response (ODT, 184.29 KB)

          FOI 24-031

          Reference FOI 24-031

          Received: 13/08/2024

          Response: 10/09/2024

          Request: 

          Please could you provide details of current and projected performance of the British Business Bank's Future Fund.

          • What is the fair value of the investments held in the FF since its inception, broken down YoY?  
          • What is the projected value of the investments held in the FF after 10 and 15 years?
          • What is the assumed default rate in the portfolio?
          Download our response (ODT, 188.07 KB)

          FOI 24-030

          Reference FOI 24-030

          Received: 25/07/2024

          Response: 23/08/2024

          Request: 

          1. How many businesses applied for coronavirus bounce back loan?
          2. How many businesses applied for more than one bounce-back loan? What % of businesses who applied once went on to apply again?
          3. How many coronavirus bounce-back loans were given out to businesses based in Northern Ireland?
          4. What was the total monetary sum of these loans (in other words, if one was to add together all the loans given to businesses based in Northern Ireland, what monetary value would result from that sum?)
          5. What was the mode of these loans (in other words, what was the most common figure that was provided to businesses as part of the loan scheme).
          6. As of June 1st 2024, how many loans remain unpaid, either in full or in part, from NI businesses? (The set of loans being considered here to be understood as being the loans referenced in question 3)
          7. As of June 1st 2024, what is the total monetary sum that remains unpaid from coronavirus bounce-back loans given to NI businesses? (The set of loans being considered here to be understood as being the loans referenced in question 3)
          Download our response (ODT, 182.87 KB)

          FOI 24-028

          Reference FOI 24-028

          Received: 19/07/2024

          Response: 25/07/2024

          Request: Best regards, could you send the list of lenders that provide "Enterprise finance guarantee"

          Download our response (ODT, 179.57 KB)

          FOI 24-021

          Reference FOI 24-021

          Received: 18/06/2024

          Response: 14/08/2024

          Request: I am looking for a copy of the standard rules for the government backed CBILS loan scheme offered by British Business Bank and other lenders over the COVID period.

          In particular I'm looking for the rules regarding the lenders who provided these loans had the agree to in relation to security and guarantees.

          Your help would be greatly appreciated

          Download our response (ODT, 180.75 KB)
          Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-021

          FOI 24-018

          Reference FOI 24-018

          Received: 06/06/2024

          Response: 25/06/2024

          Request: Future Fund: size of loan to Staminier Ltd

          1. This is an FOI request to the British Business Bank because I want to establish the size of the Future Fund loan it awarded to Staminier Ltd.
          2. Your response to a previous FOI request (reference: FOI 24-011) stated: “The Future Fund invested into Staminier Ltd by way of a Convertible Loan Agreement in March 2021.”
          3. So what was the size of the Future Fund loan to the company, please?
          Download our response (ODT, 185 KB)

          FOI 24-017

          Reference FOI 24-017

          Received: 03/06/2024

          Response: 24/06/2024

          Request: I am writing to formally request information under the Freedom of Information Act regarding the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme (CBILS) issued through United Trust Bank.

          Specifically, I am seeking details on the following:

          1. The number of CBILS loans that were issued through United Trust Bank.
          2. The number of funds supported by the scheme that are currently in default through loans issued by United Trust Bank. 

          I am also interested in understanding the Know Your Customer (KYC) checks and the lender's standard assessment process for granting the facility. Additionally, I would like to know about the formal accreditation process for lenders and the regular assurance assessments of the lender's usage of the scheme.

          I am raising these questions to ascertain whether the aforementioned processes have been properly implemented, considering that public funds have supported this scheme.

          Download our response (.ODT, 182 KB)
          Supplementary Documentation to FOI 24-017
          Download correspondence (ODT, 655 KB)

          FOI 24-015

          Reference FOI 24-015

          Received: 24/05/2024

          Response: 30/05/2024

          Request:

          1. When a company director applies for a bounce back loan , what is the due diligence carried out by the Natwest bank before sanctioning the loan or loan disbursement ?
          2. Can a bounce back loan be given to a company which was filed dormant on the company house ?
          3. Does the Natwest Bank need to verify  the turnover before accepting any application for the BBL ?
          4. Is the Natwest Bank  obliged to ask for any query or documents or business calculation or business plan before approving the BBLoan.?
          5. Is a present company business account scrutinised before approving and disbursing the loan?
          6. Does the Natwest Bank reserve the right of rejecting an bounce back loan application?
          7. Once the loan is being disbursed does the Natwest Bank have a duty of care to monitor the fund in a business bank account ?
          8. When a fund is being transferred on at least lets say 4 occasions to another business bank account ( between £5000 to £10000) , does the Natwest bank  monitor these transactions or queries about them?
          9. When the company director changes the mode or frequency of payment from 5 years to 10 years at various intervals , does the Natwest bank queries the company director of why this is done ?
          10. During the course of action , does the Natwest bank monitor the turnover of the business company account or any fund inflow of the company acquiring the loan?
          11. Does the British Business Bank monitor the BBloan application , loan sanctioning and loan disbursement ? (as apparently the BBB is the sole guarantor of the BBL scheme ?
          12. What was the Natwest Bank time frame from application time of BBLoan to Disbursement and procedures?
          Download our response (.ODT, 180 KB)

          FOI 24-012

          Reference FOI 24-012

          Received: 01/05/2024

          Response: 21/05/2024

          Request:

          1. When an applicant ( a company director ) makes an application for a company loan to a respective bank by filling an application online , what is the role of the bank ( bank staffs) or system process in dealing with such application in terms of due diligence of the applicant , the company credibility , duty of care of the bank before approving and releasing the loan basing only on the facts of the application information ( whether true or false).
          2. What is the duty of care of the bank in question to accept the information on the application and grant the company loan?
          3. Is there an element of trust or whether the bank approves a company loan on financial evidence?
          4. Does the bank need to carry out due diligence as per the bank charter before releasing the loan?
          5. Can a commercial bank grant company loan to a company which is filed as dormant on a company house register?
          6. Does a bank grant a company loan straight away or what is the process before granting the loan?
          Download our response (.ODT, 185 KB)

          FOI 24-009

          Reference FOI 24-009

          Received: 23/04/2024

          Response: 08/05/2024

          Request: I read the very interesting report on the return of UK VC funds (opens in new window, .pdf, 5.08mb) as compared to the 2001-2021 vintage funds. Would it be possible to get the graph coordinates for figure 1.6 on page 22? So not the underlying dataset but just the value used for the plot(s).

          Download our response (.ODT, 178 KB) Download our response (.XLSX, 21KB)

          FOI 24-005

          Reference FOI 24-005

          Received: 15/04/2024

          Response: 24/04/2024

          Request: we require a copy of the RLS Scheme iteration 3 showing its full provisions and conditions.

          Download our response (.ODT, 185 KB) Download our response (.PDF, 6.18MB)

          Staff and Recruitment

            FOI 24-020

            Reference FOI 24-020

            Received: 11/06/2024

            Response: 14/06/2024

            Request:

            Please supply the following information for your Agency ONLY, (do not including any data on other agencies or public bodies that may report to you) for the period of 2023:

            1. Year of Creation/Launch/Establishment?
            2. Your Annual Budget?
            3. Other Revenue received but not from government?
            4. Fiscal Powers: Yes/No
            5. Regulatory Powers: Yes/No
            6. Do you sponsor other Public Bodies: Yes/No, if yes who?
            7. Number of permanent staff?
            8. Number of temporary staff (including part timers)?
            9. Number of contractors employed?

            If anything is not clear, please contact me for clarification

            Download our response (.ODT, 180 KB)

            FOI 24-019

            Reference FOI 24-019

            Received: 10/06/2024

            Response: 05/08/2024

            Request:

            Hello I was hoping to get information covering date line from January 2023 - April 2024)

            1. How much money was spent by the British Business Bank on permanent recruitment fees for salaried positions over £50,000, over the last 12 months (January 2023 January 2024).
              1. Of that, how much was spent through framework RM6290, or its predecessor framework RM6002 Permanent Recruitment Solutions.
              2. Of that, how much was spent through framework RM6229, or its predecessor framework RM6002 Permanent Recruitment Solutions
            2. Has the organisation used agencies to recruit permanent staff? January 2023-April 2024
              1. If so please confirm the total agency spend on permanent staff?
              2. Please provide a breakdown of your answer to question 2a, splitting the spend by job title/ specialism
            3. Has the organisation used agencies to recruit temporary/contractor staff?
              1. If so please confirm the total agency spend on temporary/contractor staff?
              2. Please provide a breakdown of your answer to question 1a, splitting the spend by job title/ specialism.

            I look forward to your response.

            Download our response (.ODT, 193.29 KB)

            FOI 24-001

            Reference FOI 24-001

            Received: 08/04/2024

            Response: 19/04/2024

            Request: Could I please have a copy of your most recent Organisation Chart and list Current/ future Projects and associated timelines for your digital, data, technology, HR or Project Team?

            Download our response (.ODT, 199.98KB)

            If you require any of the documentation on the page in alternative accessible formats, please contact us at [email protected].